Surrounded by mountains and trees, it’s no wonder that Pacific Northwest developers have a talent for green building. Since 2013, The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Housing Innovation Awards has recognized the very best in innovation on the path to zero energy ready homes. Twenty-four Housing Innovation Award winners are selected for each of four categories: custom, production, multi-family and affordable homes. Here’s an energy-efficient rundown on the five Pacific Northwest award winners.
Reclaimed Modern by Dwell Development: Seattle, WA
Dwell Development won an award in the Production category for Reclaimed Modern, a house at 4606 43rd Avenue South Seattle. The cost of heating the 3,140-square-foot home is about only $50 a year. With four bedrooms, 3.5 baths, three floors and a rooftop deck, the home comes equipped with an on-demand gas hot water boiler, and an Energy Start dishwasher, refrigerator, and clothes washer. It even has induction cooktops that heat up only when a pot is placed on them. High-efficiency fluorescent lighting adds to the energy savings.
Pumpkin Ridge Passive House by Hammer and Hand: North Plains, OR
The 3,599-square-foot Pumpkin Ridge Passive House, located in the country west of Portland, Oregon won for the Custom category. To ensure airtightness, the home has a double ceiling. Rain that hits the roof is captured by the home’s rainwater harvesting system. Irrigation is minimized through the use of hardy, drought-resistant plants throughout the home’s landscaping. The home’s daylight basement is thermally isolated from the earth using a protective layer of Type II EPS insulation. Not only is it energy efficient, it’s name feels like fall.
Bellingham Power House by TC Legend Homes: Bellingham, WA
With its south-facing windows, highly efficient heat pump, and airtight shell, the 2,781 square-foot Bellingham Power House has no electrical bills and costs nothing to heat. No oil, natural gas, or other fuels are used. The 10 kW solar panel array will not only power the home, but will produce enough of a surplus to charge two electric cars on site.
Marine Drive by Clifton View Homes: Coupeville, WA
This 2,408-square-foot, two-bedroom, 2.5-bath, two-floor Marine Drive home on Whidbey Island won an award in the Custom category. This home has radiant floor heat and passive design, an air-to-water heat pump, triple-pane windows, and is 100 percent LED. Clifton worked with his home buyers to install solar panels at construction, taking advantage of Washington state’s generous solar subsidies to provide true net zero energy homes.
Port Hadlock by Clifton View Homes: Coupeville, WA
This two-bedroom, two-bathroom, single-story 1,784-square-feet Port Hadlock home enjoy views of Puget Sound while producing enough solar electricity to power the home and an electric car charging station. The highly insulated thermal blanket roof allows for cathedral ceilings in nearly every room in the house. Another win for Clifton View Homes in the Custom category.
To view the other national 2015 Department of Energy Housing Innovation Award Winners, visit the DOE website here.
