Page 41 - Green Builder Nov-Dec 2020 Issue

Megumi House

This Cape Code-style home is bigger

than its predecessor, but the electric
bill sure isn’t.

OMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER , the Megumi House was built
upon the foundation of a modest  s Cape Cod in Arlington,
Something old, something new. The Megumi House equally blends new Va. At , square feet (ˆ bedrooms, .‰ baths), the three-story
materials, such as Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), with recycling efforts such
home with a full basement and rooftop deck has more than
as reusing the existing basement foundation. CREDIT: ROSA VISTA ROMA VISTA PHOTOGRAPHY
Cdouble the square footage of the original house, but is designed
to use only a fraction of the energy.
Sustainable features of Megumi House—designed by John Linam, Jr.,
and built by award-winning Galaxy Homes—include the structurally
insulated panel (SIP) shell (R- . walls, R-ˆ‰.ˆ roof) and e–cient Marvin
Integrity windows. Megumi’s construction also includes a high-e–ciency
Multipurpose room. ENERGY STAR heat pump HVAC, south-facing exterior window awning,
The home’s large a Rinnai tankless water heater, green roof deck, sustainable COREtec
screened porch, situated
atop a recycled fill-based šooring, LED lighting, Energy Star appliances, and an energy recovery
slab, offers a dining and ventilator (ERV) air puri›cation system and humidity control. It is also
entertainment location. solar panel conduit-ready.
CREDIT: TIM RIDLEY Designed with high (- œ foot) ceilings and expansive glazing, Megumi
boasts open-šow space and an abundance of natural light to create
spaciousness within the modest footprint.
In addition to Megumi’s green design and materials, Galaxy Homes
also integrated sustainability principles in the building process. Any
salvageable materials of the original home were donated to Second
Chance charity in Arlington for reuse, and construction debris was taken
oŸ site to a recycling facility. In addition, staying within the footprint of
the existing structure minimized land disturbance and maximized the
Lighten up. Megumi’s open-flow space and an abundance of natural light creates green space of the lot.
Additional sustainable processes included reusing the existing
spaciousness within a modest footprint. CREDIT: ROSA VISTA ROMA VISTA PHOTOGRAPHY
basement foundation, application of a structural bond beam to
Forward thinking. The top level of the home increase ceiling height of basement, and off-site manufacturing of
includes a green roof deck and a solar panel-ready the SIP shell.
design. CREDIT: ROSA VISTA ROMA VISTA PHOTOGRAPHY Galaxy Homes was also successful in reducing the cost of green, as the
Megumi House was built for a cost similar to traditional stick construction
custom homes in the area, the company notes.
All the green eŸorts worked. Megumi has since achieved a Home
Energy Rating System (HERS) score of ‰ˆ and Platinum level certi›cation
by the Arlington Green Home Choice program.
“We love the house and how beautiful it is, and how green it is, but I
am blown away by the secondary eŸects of the design,” homeowner Jim
Dooley says. “The house is ›lled with daylight. The temperature across aII
.‰ šoors is always constant and even—that never would have happened
in our old house.”
Dooley adds that he is “crazy in love” with how quiet the house is. “So,
in addition to the environmental bene›ts, I think folks should understand
these everyday comfort issues when considering building a green house,”
he notes.

www.greenbuildermedia.com November/December 2020 GREEN BUILDER 39

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