Page 54 - Green Builder Magazine Nov-Dec 2017 Issue

FOR A SUSTAINABLE
DESIGN FUTURE

A Sealed Deal

Less science, more sustainability go into this ‘forever home.’

CREDIT: HUBER ENGINEERED WOODS

Staying power. ZIP System R-sheathing and polyisocyanurate continuous foam exterior insulation will help make this Westhampton, Mass.,
custom home energy efficient and able to withstand brutal New England winter weather.

BY KRISTIN MICHAEL
AIRTIGHT ON THE OUTSIDE
OB LAPALME LOOKS like a satisfied sea captain heading “Snug” is right. Charting LaPalme’s vision for a low-maintenance,
home, peering out the second floor window of his tree- durable home, Baczek and Hicks started with a tight, high-performance
hugged Westhampton, Mass., house under construction. thermal enclosure—a critical baseline for the 1,800-square-foot
Perched in the center of a wide-mouth opening at the top industrial-style home. Both men are known for keen attention to
Bof a winding half-mile road cleared by a buddy’s team of details for achieving staggeringly low ACH (air changes per hour) in
oxen is a project he asked a net-zero construction power team to negative and positive blower door testing. This project is no different
create: a very self-sufficient, resilient home in the LaPalmes’ corner and is expected to exceed the Passive House minimum acceptable
of the woods. airtightness requirement of .60 ach 50 Pa.
In short, a green, dream home. To build R-40 exterior walls, the Baczek-Hicks team used a 2-by-8,
“We’re going to grow old in this house,” LaPalme says. “I told 24-inch, on-center wood stud frame with new ZIP System R-sheathing
[general contractor Kent Hicks and architect Steve Baczek] I don’t in an R-12 panel. The panel comes with an integrated two inches of
want a science house—I don’t want to be monitoring gauges and polyisocyanurate continuous foam exterior insulation.
turning knobs. But my wife and I did like the idea of not having so Situated just on the edge of Climate Zone 6 with an annual Heating
much waste, using less resources and having a home that would not Degree Day (HDD) measure of about 6600 HDD, the thick exterior
cost much to maintain.” insulation will help manage thermal bridging through cold, long,
Indeed, LaPalme’s new solar-ready, net-zero home is where he harsh winters, and keep consistent indoor comfort without a lot of
says he and his wife will be “snug as a bug in a rug,” for the rest of extra energy required.
their days. Adding the continuous two inches of rigid insulation to the exterior

52 GREEN BUILDER November/December 2017 www.greenbuildermedia.com

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