Green Design in Traditional Garb
This English Manor Style House has all the details of a country residence you might expect to find in the southern counties of England: Gothic arch entry with carved stone finial and crockets, half-timbering with brick infill, and carved wood paneled interiors with timber ceiling beams. However, the traditional home was designed with the latest green building techniques available.
Approached by a client who was interested in a traditional yet sustainable and cost-effective house, we incorporated environmentally friendly construction typically associated with contemporary residences without sacrificing the desired architecture. The building methods utilized increase structural durability; reduce energy, water consumption, and pollution; shorten construction length; and create a termite resistant structure.
Concealed behind the architecturally correct façade, is a heavy gauge steel frame and ThermaSteel pre-manufactured structural insulated panels with twice the resistance to thermal transmission of standard wood stud construction and fiberglass insulation. By sheathing the walls and roof with these sandwich panels utility costs for heating and cooling are significantly reduced. A geothermal heating and cooling system also aids in the reduction of the homes’ energy consumption. Additionally included within our design is a rainwater collection tank used for landscape irrigation.
