Fox Net Zero House

Fox Net Zero House

Fox Net Zero Home

Started in the winter, building the Fox Home was not without its challenges, but the challenges ended up working in our favor in the end and producing this beautiful and unique home. Right off the bat, after we poured the concrete slab, the weather turned and frosted. As we saved the slab from freezing using plastic sheets and hay, the wind kicked up and caused the hay to come into direct contact with the slab as it was curing. The hay interacted with the concrete and caused what turned out to be really cool color undulations which add to the home’s character. Now we are intentionally adding this option for future clients who want some extra pizzaz in their concrete floors!

We always love when clients add their personal touches to a home as well, and in this case that personal touch was in the form of a repurposed trash receptacle laundry chute!

 

Specs

  • Overview:

    • 1978sf SFR &  876sf garage
    • 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath SFR
    • Net Zero Energy
    • 1st floor aging-in-place
    • Passive solar heating/cooling design
    • Insulation: R-29 walls & R-59 ceiling
    • Air Sealing: 0.18 ACH50
    • HERS Index: -2
    • Annual Energy Cost Savings: $2,800
    • Certifications: DOE Zero Energy Ready Home certified, ENERGY STAR certified, EPA Indoor airPLUS certified, anticipated Built Green 5-star certified

     
    Mechanical:

    • Ventiliation: Fantech Hero 250 with built in HEPA filter. Built-in humidity, temperature, and CO2
    • Heating/Cooling: Chilltrix CX-34; hydronic radiant floor heating downstairs and fan coil unit
    • PV: 9kW solar array with Enphase microinverters and battery ready

    Selections:

    • Thermatru exterior doors
    • Certified Cool Roof metal roofing
    • Birch doors and hemlock trim
    • Floor Score certified vinyl flooring & zero-VOC, anti-microbial underlayment
    • Quartz countertops
    • Thrifted plumbing fixtures
    • Europly maple cabinets
    • LED lighting
    • WaterSense plumbing fixtures
    • ENERGY STAR appliances
    • No/Low-VOC finishes
    • Triple pane, Low-E coated, argon-filled vinyl windows
          Lynden Powerhouse

          Lynden Powerhouse

          Lynden Powerhouse

          Lynden Powerhouse is a highly efficient, net-positive home with an additional ADU and stick-framed garage/shop. This home will receive the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, ENERGY STAR, and EPA Indoor airPLUS certifications, and anticipated Built Green 5-star certification.

          Lynden Powerhouse will provide full-time and temporary housing for up to four separate family groups. This level of complexity required a greater attention to climate and ventilation zoning, which necessitated the installation of three separate Fantech Hero 250 HRV units and one extra-large Chiltrix CX50 heat pump. These devices allowed the home to be compartmentalized into three separately conditioned spaces – the main living space downstairs, living space upstairs, and ADU. Breaking up the air spaces ensures that the fresh air circulation can independently adapt to the measured CO2 levels and temperatures of each air volume. Given that hazardous airborne viruses are a normal part of life for the foreseeable future, having three separated air spaces allows those infected to quarantine without infecting others. Further measures to make the home as energy efficient as possible with the best indoor air quality included hydronic radiant floor heating, HRVs with integrated HEPA filtration, all ENERGY STAR rated appliances, LED lighting, triple pane windows, and Aerobarrier air sealing.

          One of the owners, who works in the tech industry, used his knowledge to create innovative automation systems for the ventilation and hot water circulation systems using motion detectors and CO2 sensors to minimize wasted energy, water, and time. Each air space has a motion sensor that will stop the HRV unit if no motion is detected for 24hrs to conserve energy. Additional automation uses custom algorithms to vary the HRV air velocity to balance CO2 extraction with ventilation-induced heat energy loss. Motion sensors placed near each plumbing fixture trigger the hot water circulators only when need is anticipated. By the time the person turns on the fixture, hot water is available, minimizing both water, time, and energy waste.

          Lynden Powerhouse features a 17.01 kW solar array with six 48v 100AH LFP batteries for backup storage. The system was designed to be oversized, knowing that the combination of PV with storage allows for disaster resiliency and for the house to operate completely off-grid for weeks if needed. It also supports three EV charging ports, two for occupants and one outside for guests. Moreover, having an oversized solar array on an already super-efficient house, means the owner can eliminate the entire energy bill which makes retirement budgeting more predictable and effectively making the cost of living cheaper in the future. By over-sizing the system, the house can fully power the AC units of four less efficient homes in the cul-de-sac, thereby minimizing peak energy loads for the entire block. The reduction in peak-energy loads helps reduce the stress on the grid caused by extreme weather events. And is the key to eliminating petroleum powered peaker plants, thereby reducing CO2 production for the entire street.

           

           

          Specs

          • Overview:

            • 1549sf SFR &  842sf ADU
            • 1123sf unconditioned garage & shop
            • 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath SFR &  1 bedroom, 1 bath ADU
            • Net Zero Energy
            • 1st floor aging-in-place
            • Passive solar heating/cooling design
            • Insulation: R-29 walls & R-59 ceiling
            • Air Sealing: 0.45ACH
            • HERS Index: -24
            • Annual Energy Cost Savings: $3,717
            • Certifications: DOE Zero Energy Ready Home certified, ENERGY STAR certified, EPA Indoor airPLUS certified, anticipated Built Green 5-star certified

             

            Mechanical:

            • Ventilation: (3) Fantech Hero 250 with built in HEPA filter. Built-in humidity, temperature, and CO2
            • Heating/Cooling: Chilltrix CX-50; hydronic radiant floor heating downstairs and (3) fan coil units
            • PV: 17.01kW solar array with whole home battery back-up

             

            Selections:

            • Timber framed entry
            • Metal roof
            • Locally made walnut and maple cabinets
            • Bamboo Floor Score certified flooring
            • Vanair vented interior doors
            • Locally made solid fir front door
            • Silestone and Corian countertops
            • ENERGYSTAR appliances
            • LED lighting
            • WaterSense plumbing fixtures
            • No/Low-VOC finishes
            • Triple pane, Low-E coated, argon-filled vinyl windows
              Shepard-Nguyen DADU

              Shepard-Nguyen DADU

              Shepard-Nguyen DADU

              Built to house grandma on a multi-generational property, Shepard-Nguyen DADU is an accessible 484 square foot home with an additional 176 square foot loft. The DADU was designed to be light, airy and open in order to create a welcoming and safe environment for the grandkids to play in and grandma to hide away to when needed. The clients have an excellent eye for interior design, so the home was completed to a sleek and modern finish.

              Since the main occupant is grandma, the home was designed for aging-in-place with wide doorways, a curbless shower with handrails, lever style door handles, extra grabs for the pocket doors, and a seat at the entry.

              Specs

              • 484 square feet
              • 176 square foot loft
              • 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
              • Net Zero Energy
              • 4kW solar array with Enphase micro-inverters
              • HERS Index: -10
              • DOE Zero Energy Ready Home certified, ENERGY STAR certified, EPA Indoor airPLUS certified
              • Fujitsu mini-split
              • HEPA filtration
              • ENERGY STAR 50-gallon domestic hot water tank
              Demarest

              Demarest

              Demarest

              In collaboration with Bolt Construction NW, TC Legend Homes helped design, permit, and frame this 1,950 square foot home on Orcas Island.

              Clerestory windows reflect light deep into the interior and create wonderful sculptured light-gradients along those white, reflective walls. Designed to flow people and views out to the west and onto the western deck. The main living spaces balance high ceilings in the kitchen and dining areas and a lower, cozy ceiling in the living room/ tv area.

              The 2nd floor main-master bedroom also engages with a westerly view, leaving you feeling like you’re in a tower. The second-master bedroom connects privately through the Jack-and-Jill bathrooms & shared closet.

              A choice of main entrances allows this house to fit onto most lots.

               

              Specs

              • 1950 square feet
              • 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom
              • 1st floor aging-in-place
              • Radiant in-floor heating with 1 fancoil
              • High kitchen/ dining room
              • Kitchen island/ bar
              • Clerestory daylighting
              • West facing
              • 2-bedroom 2nd fl master suite.