Sustainable / High Performance
Sustainable Home Designin Central Missouri
At Monarch Architecture we are convinced that high-performing, net-zero electric homes are attainable in central Missouri. Even projects on tight budgets can benefit from the green-building planning process that Monarch uses.
We approach residential design with the following five basic steps. Our process has been inspired by the work of the Passive House Institute, the Pretty Good House guidelines, Builders for Climate Action, and our own experience constructing and occupying our net-positive ADU
Site Analysis
Every project exists on a unique site with particular opportunities and challenges. Identifying these site elements is the first step to designing any structure. As we analyze the site, we are looking for things like: areas of good solar exposure, terrain that lends itself to a certain foundation design, existing trees or infrastructure to protect, scenic views, needs for privacy, prevailing winds, ease of access for construction equipment, etc. This exercise can help narrow down where and how to situate the primary programmatic functions of a house in an economical fashion.
Bringing in a contractor to consult during this and other early design meetings, can be very helpful. Some of the most significant decisions affecting a building’s cost and energy performance can be made in this phase of a project. Sometimes consultations with an excavator, foundation subcontractor, or septic system installer may be called for so that, from the design’s inception, these critical elements are taken into account.
BuildingMassing
After a structure’s general location is identified, we can manipulate the building massing. In Columbia, Missouri’s region, elongating a home along an east-west axis is advisable because it maximizes south-facing roof area for solar panels, and it can allow south-facing glass where shading via roof overhangs is more effective. A fairly compact building form, compared to a rambling plan, is cheaper to build and reduces the wall-to-volume ratio. The closer a building is to a cube-like shape, the easier it is to achieve higher levels of airtightness, because there is more interior volume compared to exterior wall surface. High-performing houses do not need to be simple boxes, but keeping these principles in mind helps enable good performance with more affordable up-front costs.
Fenestration &Solar Control
After the home begins to take shape, we think very carefully about where to place windows. Capturing beautiful views and letting in natural daylight is, of course, essential in any home. But windows are in some ways the enemy of a high-performing house. Even the best window is a “bad wall” in terms of insulation. While the “passive-solar” concept of using lots of shaded south-facing windows to help heat a home during the winter is legitimate, those same south windows are a liability at other times: at night or cloudy days they are losing heat, and in the spring and fall they are likely to cause overheating.
We advise putting windows where they will be most enjoyed, but generally limiting their quantity. We also suggest restraint with windows on the west side, as they are hard to shade and can generate a lot of unwanted summer heat gain. Being judicious about glazing quantity can help a client actually afford the higher quality windows that will immensely improve energy performance.
Wall Assembly Design
Guiding the overall size, shape, and aesthetics of a building as outlined above is the primary task of a home designer. However, as architect Mies van der Rohe is quoted as saying, “God is in the details.” It is in the construction details where material selections and transitions are coordinated so that an airtight build can be executed. Airtightness, sometimes measured via blower-door testing during construction, is one of the most important principles of residential green building. So much energy is lost simply to air leakage!
Material selections are also made at this point. Whenever possible, we advise selecting materials that are better for indoor air quality and emit less carbon in their production. Even better are materials, like wood fiber or straw, that sequester carbon! We believe construction details are most successful when the architect and builder work together, so the best wall assembly within a given budget can be designed. These sample wall sections describe just a few of the considerations that guide how a high-performing building is detailed. A contractor who is knowledgeable and experienced with these concepts is essential.
OtherSpecifications
The steps above enable us to create a construction drawing set from which further specifications can be coordinated with the contractor. Monarch is frequently involved on high-performance projects during HVAC system selection. These systems vary widely, but efficient electric systems like mini splits, centralized air-to-air heat pumps, or geothermal systems, often make sense when a client is planning on installing a solar array that can offset that electric demand. Even if a PV array is not in the budget for the initial build, Monarch can help clients work through considerations to enable adding a solar array more easily in the future.
Additionally, an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilation) system is critical to enabling good indoor air quality without losing energy in an airtight home. Monarch and the Columbia area contractors we work with can connect clients with the right sustainability-related subcontractors and suppliers to include, or plan for, all of the most important high-performance systems. There are so many interrelated and complex decisions when building a house, but an experienced team will make the process manageable and fun!
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