Truro Energy Efficient Oasis
Deep in the heart of Truro, MA along the dunes of a beachside community, sits a custom built natural beauty on Old Outermost Road. The homeowners’ intentions were to build a modern yet purposeful home, complete with clean lines, contemporary details, and most importantly an excellent carbon footprint.
Materials and designs were very purposefully selected to ensure the home is highly energy efficient. To start, the code required insulation envelope was exceeded by installing 2.5” Zip-R panels. By adding the Zip-R to the outside of 6” structural shell, the home’s roof and walls became highly insulated with walls and roof achieving an R30 and R47, respectively. Triple glazed windows were installed throughout the entire build, which reduced heating & cooling costs and overall energy consumption, and can provide up to five times more energy efficiency than single-pane windows. A hybrid water heater was selected in place of a traditional electric or gas fired system, using heat pump technology to make heat instead of generating heat directly through combustion of a fossil fuel or heating element. This method can be two to three times more efficient than traditional water heaters. A solar array on the Carriage House roof processes solar energy into electricity throughout the home, powering the all-electrically driven systems for cooking, heating, ventilation, and cooling. This results in almost no monthly electrical bill for the homeowners. Finally, a JuiceBox was installed in the garage to further support the owners’ commitment to energy efficiency and a minimal carbon footprint, allowing them to charge their electric vehicles.
The home on Old Outermost Road proudly earned a HERS Index Score of 14 in June 2021. The HERS, Home Energy Rating System, Index is the national industry standard that measures energy efficiency. To establish a score, a certified energy rater assesses various factors that impact the home’s energy usage and overall construction plans. With a scale of 0-150, the lower the rating, the more energy efficient the home is; therefore, a 14 rating is nearly perfect.
Other aesthetic and design details worth nothing are the board formed concrete fireplace surround and mantel, front and rear screened in porches, exterior sliding barn door storm shutter coverings, second-story bridge connector, steel stringer and baluster with custom oak tread staircase, custom stainless trellis that directs plants to grow in a unique grid pattern, portico with stone design on top, detached cedar outdoor shower, waterfront views, and two roof deck balconies.
With a plan to build a Cape Cod summer oasis that could limit their environmental impact, the homeowners selected Cape Associates due to our commitment to energy efficient, sustainable construction. By using high quality products and green techniques, this home will allow the owners to live a comfortable and efficient lifestyle.
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Project Manager, Chris Dio
Architect, A3 Architects
Design Firm, C&J Katz Studio
