Air-to-Water Heat Pump | TC Legend Homes

Saint Claire Powerhouse

by Senna | May 3, 2020

This 1,900 square-foot 3 bedroom clerestory home, with an additional 672-square-foot attached garage located outside the SIPs shell, was built in 2016 in western Washington.

Because the master bedroom and bathroom were required to be located on the first floor, the clerestory design allowed us to locate two additional bedrooms and a bath on a minimal second floor, while leaving the glorious and spacious SIPs vaulted ceiling within the main living & kitchen spaces.

The play of light from the second-floor clerestory windows penetrates deeply into the main living spaces, eliminating glare at the large south windows and providing unusually even and dynamic day-lighting within the kitchen and living room. The occupants feel connected to the sweep of the sun, clouds, and weather patterns outside.

This is a near-perfect lot for a solar-panel net-zero home, identified by the clear solar exposure to the south, with no trees or buildings between the building and the sun.

SPECS/FEATURES

Department of Energy Net-Zero certified
Chilltrix CX34 air-to-water heat pump
100% on-site storm water infiltration via 30-foot dispersion trench
10.8 kW of solar panel installed
6.5” R-29 SIPs walls
10.25” R-49 SIPs roof
4” R-20 foam under 4” concrete slab-on-grade for thermal mass
5.5” foam (total) R-23.8 insulated concrete form (ICF) perimeter stem walls
Vinyltek Boreal series triple-pane windows (U values from 0.14 to 0.16)
1:1.6 aspect ratio floor plan, with the long side facing south
Minimal east and west glazing

Trax

by Senna | Apr 16, 2020

This 2,540 square-foot clerestory (one-and-a-half story) family house has an integrated, differently heat-zoned 1,040-square-foot garage and woodshop sitting within the SIPs shell. It was built in 2020 in western Washington.

A rigorous passive-solar window design uses the majority south-facing glazing for wintertime heating, shaded in summer by a shallow south porch and accurate south clerestory overhang. Multi-direction daylight penetrates and reflects deep into the connected main living space and second-floor balcony via the high second-floor clerestory glazing.

Multiple cutting-edge HVAC and home-automation systems integrate to deliver low-cost air-to-water heat pump-based central heating, cooling, and fresh-air delivery, triggered via automatic carbon-dioxide and humidity sensors. Alexa-driven automated lighting and blinds are installed, a home-automation system that will expand in its capabilities as more options become available.

The clients’ requirement for a spacious first-floor master suite led us to design a smaller second floor in relation to the first. The clerestory design accommodates this layout by producing a daylight-rich one-and-a-half-story house.

Specifications

U.S. Department of Energy Net-Zero certified
Chilltrix CX34 air-to-water heat pump
Zehnder 550Q heat recovery ventilator (HRV), with in-line fan coil from Chilltrix
Development dedicated 1 acre of pastureland to a perpetual conservation easement, ensuring growth of native species
12.4 kW of solar panels installed
6.5” R-29 SIPs walls
12.25” R-59 SIPs roof
4” R-20 foam under 4” concrete slab-on-grade for excellent thermal mass
5.5” foam (total) R-23.8 insulated concrete forms (ICF) perimeter stem-walls
Vinylek Boreal series triple-pane windows (U values between 0.14 and 0.16)
1:1.6 aspect ratio floor plan, with long side facing south
Minimal east and west glazing

Purchase Plans-Set HERE!

Columbia City

by Senna | Apr 16, 2020

These two 2,250-square-foot, three-story family houses were built adjacent to each other, without garages, on a single lot in Columbia City, Seattle. The design preserved enough space for two spacious gardens.

This perfect urban lot has great southern exposure for passive and active solar gain. The small 25′ by 30′ footprints raised a surprising amount of internal space, but achieving net-zero performance, even with super-insulated SIPs panels, necessitated an enlarged south roof to house the required solar panels. We designed huge, cranked south roofs. This was a first for TC Legend, but they are now standard, architecturally a truly modem aesthetic response to the climate crisis.

The five-bedroom houses are planned to maximize common spaces and contain one un-programmed loft/rec-room space on each floor: space for a drum kit, a wine bar, a sewing room, or another TV room. Additionally the first floor has a big mud room to house bikes and camping gear and function as the storage space that a suburban house would normally have in the garage, which we eliminated in favor of gardens and uncovered off-street parking.

Specifications

Department of Energy Net-Zero certified
Chilltrix CX30 air-to-water heat pump
100% storm-water infiltrated on site via two infiltration pits
12.4 kW solar panels installed
6.5” R-29 SIPs walls
10.25” R-59 SIPs roof
4” R-20 foam under 4” concrete slab-on-grade for thermal mass
5.5” foam (total) R-23.8 insulated concrete forms (ICF) perimeter stem walls
Plygem triple-pane windows (U values between 0.21 and 0.24)

Chappell

by Senna | Apr 16, 2020

This 1,950 square-foot, two-story, 3-bedroom family house was completed in Seattle in 2018. It has a two-wall carport adjacent to the back door.

The project presented a challenging permit process for the TC Legend office and a complex dig: The undeveloped lot was located atop a known landslide area, requiring deep pin piles and extensive geotech involvement. A heavily protected 6-foot-diameter seqouia tree stands beside the only site entrance and was successfully cared for during the extensive dig, with drain lines threaded through the roots, dug by hand.

With the main hilltop vista facing west, the challenge was to have the house embrace the view without overheating in the afternoon sun. Retaining the deciduous western tree cover was essential, as was ordering the western windows with low solar-gain coatings.

The storm-water system was not allowed to point-discharge onto the steep slope. The extensive use of permeable pavement ensured the trees and shrubs remain watered, stabilizing the slide-prone slopes.

Specifications

U.S. Department of Energy Net-Zero certified
Chilltrix CX34 air-to-water heat pump
Zehnder 350 HRV
10.8 kW of solar panels installed
6.5” R-29 SIPs walls
10.25” R-49 SIPs roof
4” R-20 foam under 4” concrete slab-on-grade for thermal mass
5.5” foam (total) R-23.8 insulated concrete forms perimeter stem-walls
Euroclime triple-pane windows (U values between 0.14 and 0.18)
100% rainwater-permeable driveways and walks

Victory Heights Net-Zero Home

by Senna | Apr 12, 2020

This Built Green 5-Star zero-energy home defines the Seattle eco-lifestyle. It features an open floor plan, heated hardwood floors, 9-foot ceilings, and exposed beams. On the roof, a 9.5kW net-metered solar array provides all the home’s power needs, and an electric car charging station is built into the garage. Triple-pane windows and SIPs construction offer plenty of insulation, and a whole-house filtration system keeps the air pure. Designer touches include Hinkley lighting, custom cabinetry, Carrara marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, an induction cooktop, and a 9-foot kitchen island.

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