DOE Tour of Zero: The Eco-Friendly Home by Ferguson Design and Construction Inc.

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This high-performance custom home in The Hamptons on Long Island, New York, by Ferguson Design and Construction is a certified U.S. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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The 5,088-square-foot solar electric ready home has wiring in place and roof area available for an 8.6-kW photovoltaic system. This high-performance home is expected to save its homeowners more than $2,500 per year compared to a minimum-code home, and nearly double that amount when a solar electric system is added.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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The open floor plan allows natural daylight to fill the interior.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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The home meets all of the requirements of the U.S. EPA’s Indoor airPLUS program, including the requirement to use low-/no-VOC paints, finishes, and cabinetry. Some of the furniture in the home is made from wood reclaimed from trees on the site.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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The home’s high-efficiency windows use double-pane glass filled with argon gas for additional insulating value. Insulated fiberglass frames and special low-emissivity coatings that keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer also increase the efficiency of the windows.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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Water-saving EPA WaterSense-labeled fixtures and energy-saving ENERGY STAR-labeled appliances increase the home’s water and energy savings.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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All of the lighting fixtures in the Ferguson Design home use advanced solid-state lighting technology.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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The Ferguson home is wrapped in a double-wall thermal blanket consisting of two 2-by-4 framed walls that form a 7-inch-thick wall cavity filled with blown-in fiberglass insulation.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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The studs of the double-wall construction are staggered to prevent thermal bridging through the framing for a continuous thermal blanket.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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Blown fiberglass fills the walls and roof cavities, providing a continuous thermal blanket around the home.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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These exterior walls are sheathed with a coated rigid foam insulation that is sealed at all seams with tape to provide a continuous thermal blanket and comprehensive draft protection.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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A high-efficiency gas boiler provides hot water to the faucets and to the radiant floor heating loop in the basement. The boiler also provides heat for a hydro-coil central air heating system.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction
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The dry-by-design exterior walls start with a coated rigid foam sheathing product that is sealed with tape at all seams, then covered with a mesh air spacer to effectively drain water behind clapboard and cedar shake siding.
Photo courtesy of Ferguson Design and Construction

“The project team was committed to ensuring quality practices.”

DOE Tour of Zero: Eco-Friendly Home by Ferguson Design & Construction Inc. infographic: Sagaponack, NY; fergusondesignandconstruction.com. 5,088 square feet, HERS score 43, $460 average monthly, $2,100 annual savings, $110,000 saved in the first 30 years.
Key features list: High-performance insulation system for enhanced quiet and comfort, comprehensive draft protection, fresh air system for cleaner indoor air, high-efficiency comfort system, energy-efficient appliances and advanced lighting technology for
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"The project team was committed to ensuring quality practices. These included weekly team meetings, regular thorough inspections by the rater, and good communication among the project team members. As a result, the project experienced minimal defects and achieved an impressive 82% of construction waste diverted from the landfill."

– Sarah Ferguson, president, Ferguson Design & Construction