This home is for a couple and their young daughter and is located in Cedar Mountain, North Carolina.
Their objectives were to have a cost-effective, energy-efficient and low-maintenance home that would intelligently integrate itself into the building site.
The design is a single-story passive-solar structure with a long and narrow building volume oriented to the south. The shallow building profile maximizes solar gain and facilitates cross ventilation. Other design elements that contribute to the home’s integrity are:
A floor system that is a monolithic, concrete slab on grade with a clear sealer. This is the building's foundation, finished floor, and heating system all in one (solar gain combined with hydronic radiant floor heating).
A single-pitched roof that opens the interior space to the landscape, optimizing solar gain and directing rain water to a single side of the building and creating pleasing high and low interior spaces. The narrow layout makes roof framing and installation economical and expedient.
An informal placement of the screened-in porch and the carport elements add interest and distinct exterior spaces on the site.
A cost-effective, maintenance-free galvalume metal exterior skin, installed horizontally, provides reference to traditional wood siding, streamlining the building volume, while at the same time accentuating the horizontality of the building site.
The choice of a modern open floor plan aims to reduce square footage by overlapping functional areas and also creates diverse spatial experiences within a compact building envelope.
Most importantly, collaborating with the professionals at Bracken Mountain Builders on the design process, insured that the project was on time, within budget and void of any delays or unwelcome surprises.
- Werner Haker, Designer
Project Description: New construction of a single-family residence in Cedar Mountain, NC.
Project Challenge: Bracken Mountain Builders was fortunate enough to be involved with this new construction project from the very beginning. We worked closely with the homeowners and architect to develop a passive-solar home that would incorporate intelligent design and simple yet elegant lines.
Features:
Slab-on-grade construction providing thermal mass for radiant floor heat
State of the art boiler system, that is set up for a future expansion to solar hot water
Smart framing that includes 2x6 exterior walls at 24" on center studs allowing for less material and more insulation
Foam insulation in the roof and loose fill blanket system insulation in the exterior wall cavities
Standing seam metal roof
Corrugated galvalume metal sidings for longevity and low maintenance style
Sealed concrete floor on the interior for durability and low maintenance