Page 45 - Green Builder Magazine Nov-Dec 2019 Issue

MASTER
BEDROOM
LIVING
ROOM
KITCHEN

DINING ROOM
SECOND FLOOR PLAN

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

BEDROOM BEDROOM

Planning ahead. Birch House’s first- and second-story floorplans are nearly identical, allowing for future conversion of the home into separate units if desired.

Water for all uses, potable and non-potable, comes from rain water ON FRIENDLY TERMS
catchment o‰ the metal roof and solar panels. The rain water is The two-story home is designed with a solarium along the south-
stored in two 5,000-gallon tanks located on the north side of the facing side that has nearly
oor-to-ceiling windows and a thermal
house among the existing trees. Water that is used for indoor uses is mass
oor consisting of dirt, stone and concrete pavers to absorb
drawn from these cisterns, and ltered and treated with ultraviolet bene cial solar heat. A few operable windows face east and west
light prior to use. for cross ventilation.
The house has a “green roof” of plants installed on a lower-level To minimize heat loss, only two of the home’s windows face
roof over the rst-
oor solarium. Downspouts from this green roof north. The shed roof allowed for the construction of a loft above the
carry over
ow downhill through woodchip-lined trenches to two second-
oor bedrooms. Aside from the solarium and the loft, the
native-plant rain gardens. Water from the showers, tubs, sinks, rst and second
oors have identical
oor plans, with the assump-
clothes washer and dishwasher is treated in a small septic tank. An tion that, as needs change over time, the house could be converted
indoor planter was designed and constructed in the solarium to treat from a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home to two one-bedroom,
this grey water prior to the septic tank. one-bath units.
Although the building department would not approve the use of In constructing the home, Welch wanted to create a “builder
grey water in this planter, the planter was constructed and planted, friendly” assembly that met all the high-performance requirements
but is watered with approved potable water. In winter, the water of DOE ZERH while using construction techniques that most build-
from the septic tank is distributed in two small in ltration beds. ers are familiar with. Prior to permit and construction, Bundle held
In summer the grey water from the septic tank is instead routed to a peer review session to evaluate the constructability of the project.
irrigate 30 fruit trees that line the driveway. Beyond the food garden The peer review included the builder, designers, structural engineers,
and the grey water irrigation at the orchard, no irrigation is used to contractors, plumbers and solar installers.
maintain landscape plantings. Although Welch was an experienced designer and Tretwold
Welch notes the decision to achieve net-zero water use was initially was an experienced builder, neither had worked on a high-
not prompted by a desire to save water but rather to highlight how performance building before. “We met constantly to review the
much community energy is used to convey water to the house and construction documents, brain storm applications, oversee product
back to the sewer treatment plant. This energy is not accounted for installs, and check completed construction for deficiencies,”
in most zero energy projects. Welch says.

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