DOE Tour of Zero: The MassDevelopment Production House by Transformations Inc.
Photos
1/7
Transformations Inc. built this certified U.S. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home for just $1.43 per square foot more than the $100 per square foot it costs to build a similar production home to code in this community in Devens, Massachusetts.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
2/7
Behind the vinyl siding is an ultra-efficient enclosure with double-wall continuous thermal blanket construction consisting of two 2-by-4, 16-inch on-center walls spaced 5 inches apart and filled with 12 inches of open-cell spray foam. The outside walls were sheathed with a OSB water barrier laminated oriented strand board (OSB) that is taped at the seams. The roof protection system consists of a similar OSB product plus an ice-and water-shield provided at the eaves and valleys. The vented attic is insulated with 18 inches of blown cellulose on the ceiling deck.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
3/7
This certified DOE Zero Energy Ready Home is one of eight high-performance homes built by Transformations Inc. in Devens, Massachusetts.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
4/7
Thanks to ultra-efficient construction and a 16.31-kW solar electric system, homeowners of this high-performance home are expected to get an utility credit of $1,600 a year.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
5/7
The entire home’s heating and cooling is provided by ultra-efficient (23 SEER; 10.6 HSPF) ductless heat pumps.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
“It costs about $100 a square foot to build a house to code here; our homes cost just $1.43 per square foot above this.”
"It costs about $100 a square foot to build a house to code here; our DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes cost just $1.43 per square foot above this, including the land and the driveway. The homes perform so well that during a recent winter power outage, while outdoor temperatures were in the 20s, inside the home only lost 3.6°F over an eight-hour period."
– Carter Scott, president, Transformations Inc.