A recently retired couple came to Monarch seeking a high performing and efficient home with a large detached garage. Their site, west of Columbia, MO, slopes to the southwest with views of their pond and the Missouri River valley beyond. Working with their preselected contractor, AT Homes Builder, Monarch evaluated how to situate the buildings on the site to minimize driveway and foundation expenses, capitalize on the great views, and orient the building maximize the production of a future rooftop solar array. Carefully placed windows and overhangs will provide ample daylight while limiting solar heat gain.
An airtight, well-insulated wall assembly is created with Zip R sheathing, cellulose insulation and a ventilated rain screen. Windows are triple glazed with UPVC frames imported from European window manufacturer Schuco. The basement slab is thermally broken from the foundation with Halo Exterra GPS insulation. The building will not use any fossil fuels and instead rely on air-to-air heat pumps for space conditioning and a Zehnder ERV. While the project did not pursue energy modeling, utility bills are expected to be minimal and net-zero electric may be achievable with a modest solar array. Construction by Aleks Tsymbal, AT Homes, is underway.
