The New American Home 2021

The Home boasts 4,390 square feet of conditioned living space, outdoor spaces in the form of terraces on its two above-grade levels, and a three-car garage, it is a vertical urban residence on a 1,969-square-foot lot. Even so, it shares the emphasis on indoor-outdoor living, open floor plans, natural light, and energy efficiency. A key characteristic of the home is its “upside-down” floor plan: the kitchen, dining, and living areas, configured in a U-shaped, loft-like space, are on the topmost floor rather than a lower level. The ceilings in that space are 14 feet high and it features two terraces that overlook the treetops and beyond.

When building the home, the team uses the systems-engineering approach to unite segments of the building industry that have previously worked independently of one another. The concept is simple: systems-engineering can make America’s homes cost effective to build or retrofit and energy efficient to live in. Energy consumption of new houses can be reduced by as much as 40% with little or no impact on the cost of construction.

To reach this goal, the team worked with their building partners to produce a home that incorporates energy and material saving strategies from design through construction. First, the team analyzed and selected cost-effective strategies for improving home performance. Next, the team evaluated design, business, and construction practices within individual partnerships to identify cost savings. Cost savings could then be reinvested to improve energy performance and product quality. For example, a design that incorporates new techniques for tightening the building envelope enabled the team to install smaller, yet more efficient heating and cooling systems. The savings generated in this process can then be reinvested in other high-performance features to further reduce energy use. Proving the efficiency of the system-engineering approach to construction, this home’s HERS Index, without the use of a photovoltaic system is 50, which is 50% more efficient than the average new home. This remarkably efficient home with the 13.2 kW photovoltaic system installed has a HERS Index is -14.

Thermal Shell

• Unvented and air sealed attic insulated with Installed Building Products’ Demilec (USA), Inc. open-cell polyurethane spray-foam insulation (R-19).
• PGT vinyl frame windows with low-e coating, argon gas fill, limits solar heat gain and optimizes air tightness (U-factor 0.25 and SHGC of 0.21).
• PGT Windoor’s vinyl frame sliding glass doors with low-e coating, argon gas fill, limits solar heat gain and optimizes air tightness (U-factor 0.33 and SHGC of 0.17).
• Exterior walls insulated using a combination of highly efficient products including injected core-fill foam insulation (R-8 average) in all open cells of CMU walls, open-cell polyurethane spray-foam insulation (R-3.5 average per inch), Fi-Foil’s M-Shield reflective wall insulation (R-4.1) and Fi-Foil’s Flex Foam Reflective Insulation (R-4.1).
• AeroSeal’s AeroBarrier aerosol thermal envelope sealer utilized to further reduce envelope leakage, resulting in an extremely low envelope leakage rate of 2.29 ACH(50).
• Phantom Screens’ motorized retractable screens provides fresh air, shade from the sun, climate control, protection from insects and privacy.
• Light colored exterior wall and roof to assist in reflecting the sun.
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• HVAC
• Space conditioning provided by Mitsubishi’s M-Series and P-Series multi-indoor ducted Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heat-pump HVAC system, with an efficiency rating of 16 SEER and 9 HSPF.
• Mechanical ventilation and ERV provided by Panasonic.
• Space conditioning system located entirely within the conditioned space, minimizing any conditioned air leaking to the exterior.

Water Heaters

Rinnai RU199iN ENERGY STAR® Qualified tankless water heaters with 96% thermal efficiency (0.96 EF) combined with Enovative’s AutoHot on demand hot water recirculating pumps utilized throughout the project to reduce heat loss and maximize efficiency.

Electrical

100% energy-efficient LED lighting for all interior and exterior lighting.

Personalized smart home living, automation and security provided by Control 4.

LG Signature Kitchen Suite ENERGY STAR®-qualified appliances.

ChargePoint Home Flex Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging provided by EVUnited.

Home backup generator, delivering power directly to the home’s electrical system during outages, provided by Generac’s Guardian 24kW. Solar Array

40 LG’s NeON2 V5 330-watt solar panels with Solar Edge’s Single-Phase Inverter with Wave-HD (99% CEC Efficiency) provide 13.2 kW of clean renewable energy.

Water Efficiency Features

In addition to energy savings, this home is designed to achieve an estimated 50% reduction from baseline in water use. This remarkable water use reduction is made possible using low-flow water fixtures, natural indigenous landscaping, and a high-efficient irrigation system. Water saving features include:

Kohler low-flow, EPA WaterSense certified 1.5 GPM lavatory faucets and an average of 1.28 GPF toilets provides the indoor water use reduction

High-efficient micro spray, driplines and irrigation controller contributed to the outdoor water use reduction

Indoor Environmental Quality Features

Indoor Environmental Quality encompasses the conditions inside a home, and their effects on residents. The New American Home 2021 incorporates innovative strategies, creating an indoor environmental quality that enhance the lives of homeowners, protects occupants’ health, and improves quality of life. Indoor Environmental Quality strategies include:

Sherwin Williams Low-VOC paints and finishes and low-VOC interior adhesives and sealants

MERV 13 space conditioning air filters

HVAC ducts sealed during construction to prevent pollutants from construction activities from entering the system Whole Building ventilation system configured to allow the correct amount of fresh air into the home Eco-Friendly cabinets – Formaldehyde free and material certified by the Forest Stewardship Council