Mantell-Hecathorn Builders built this 2,931-square-foot custom home in Durango, Colorado, to the high performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.
Awnings, overhangs, and porches shield windows and doors from sun, rain, and snow in this mountain locale.
ENERGY STAR appliances, energy-efficient construction, and a 6.2-kW solar system add to energy savings of about $3,150 per year compared to a code-built home.
All of the home's lighting is advanced technology LED lighting.
The aluminum-clad, triple-pane, low-emissivity, windows have a low U-factor of 0.20, which means they are highly insulating. They also have a relatively high solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.50, which means they will let in more of the solar heat that is beneficial in this cold climate.
A push-button recirculation pump speeds hot water from the efficient gas water heater to the EPA WaterSense certified faucets to minimize wasted water and energy.
The conditioned crawlspace was insulated by installing 2 inches of rigid foam on each side of the concrete stem wall.
While most homes in this area have a wall insulation value of R-19, Mantell-Hecathorn builders achieved R-52 with 12-inch-thick double-stud exterior walls consisting of 2-by-6 wall plus a 2-by-4 wall.
The double walls formed a 12-inch cavity that was sheathed with a coated OSB then filled with 3 inches of closed-cell spray foam and 9 inches of blown fiberglass.
The coated OSB sheathing was taped at all seams to form an airtight and waterproof barrier.
A woven plastic rain-screen product was installed over the coated sheathing to form an air gap and drainage plane behind the poly-flyash lap siding, cedar, and stone.
“Our annual net energy usage will be below zero with only a 6.2-kW solar panel system for our 3,000-square-foot home. Pretty cool! We couldn’t be happier with our home.”
– Hunter Mantell-Hecathorn, homeowner and builder, Mantell-Hecathorn Builders
“When we decided to build our own new home, we had no question that we would build to DOE Zero Energy Ready standards. Almost immediately, we were astounded at how comfortable our home was. Our annual net energy usage will be below zero with only a 6.2-kW solar panel system for our 3,000-square-foot home. Pretty cool! We couldn’t be happier with our home.”
– Hunter Mantell-Hecathorn, homeowner and builder, Mantell-Hecathorn Builders
