2018 Excellence in Green Design Winner: Tree House

Sheldon Pennoyer and Renee Fair of Sheldon Pennoyer Architects in Concord
(603) 856-8994
spennoyerarchitects.com

The clients had always envisioned a series of tree house–inspired living spaces to accommodate their growing family of grandchildren. The main house contains the communal living spaces and ground-level master suite, with additional bedrooms and a den at the lower level. The garage houses a separate family pod and storage for kayaks. Energy efficiency and building resilience were key to the design. The exterior twelve-inch double wall achieves an R-42 rating; the roof truss system achieves an R-84; lower roofs achieve an R-50 and the slabs an R-20. Triple- glazed windows and doors were designed into the envelope. A single-well, ground-source heat pump, closed-loop system heats and cools the house. The Energy Star Rating achieved is a Five Star Plus at 40. Judges said: We like the double-wall construction and super-insulated envelope.