Library builder

author’s living room, a collection of photo­graphs is uplit with LED festoon lamps from phantom™ light­ing. Ambient light is provided by recessed fixtures from lucifer® lighting that are outfit­ted with Led MR16s from Focus lighting®. It’s my job to practice what I preach. My house is filled to the brim with energy — efficient light […]

In defense of the people selling and install­ing large air-conditioning systems, they do so for a reason. Profit plays a part, sure: If you install a bigger system, you make more money. More important, though, contrac­tors fear complaints about their systems’ inability to maintain set temperatures in extremely hot conditions. Using a rule-of- thumb measurement […]

Approximately two-thirds of all residential air conditioners are too large. According to Bruce Harley, an HVAC consultant with Conservation Services Group in Westbor- ough, Mass., these oversize units "will cool your house, but they’re not necessarilydesigned to run efficiently." The first prob­lem is that they dehumidify poorly. Oversize units satisfy the temperature at the thermo­stat […]

While I’m a firm advocate for passive cooling, I also believe there is a place for mechanical systems. Used in conjunction with passive-cooling techniques, the effec­tiveness of both can be enhanced, leading to lower energy use without any compromise in comfort.

With the correct orientation and south­facing windows, your house can have great light and heat in winter—but it also can have the potential for overheating if you don’t balance the amount of windows in the house with the amount of mass. Thermal mass comes from materials that absorb heat, such as concrete, tile, brick and […]

As I mentioned in section 2, passive cooling involves being able to control the airflow and heat moving through a house. This means stopping unwanted air infiltration by creating a tight building envelope. You can tighten up the house with good insulation, caulking all penetrations and sealing around windows and doors. Weatherstripping ex­terior doors and […]

When mechanical systems are sized for a home, they’re often designed with the mind-set that the house is never open to the elements. I find this is rarely true; in fact, most of my clients very much want to connect their home’s indoor and outdoor spaces. Doesn’t it make more sense, then, to I Overhangs […]

The first step to passively cooling your home is to stop the heat before it ever comes in. This is where siting and shading come into play. When designing a new house, you have a great opportunity to take advantage of orientation, but it’s also important (and often ignored) when adding to or altering an […]

■ BY SOPHIE PIESSE I live in North Carolina, and I love the look on people’s faces when I tell them that I haven’t turned on my first-floor air­conditioning in 10 years. There’s always a pause, and then they lift their jaw off the floor and ask me, "Really? How?" As an architect who designs […]