March 1, 2024: It’s been 2 years since I brought you up-to-date on my progress working with homeowners interested in building super-insulated,net-zero or net-zero-ready spaces. Of the 6 homes I featured in my March 2022 “On the Boards” blogpost, 4 were built. I hope to show you pictures soon. Two homes are on indefinite hold, due to rising construction costs and difficult timeframes.

P.S. “On the Boards” is designer-speak for “Watcha Working On?”

Frustrated by the slim pickings and poor condition of the housing for sale in Spring Green (pop 1600), my determined clients figured it would be more satisfying and in the long run more economical to build new. There was a strict budget, but by keeping the form and details simple, we could use higher quality materials and allow a few splurges. I chose Zip System R-12 sheathing on a 2×6 frame wall for a total R-value of 34. The ceiling was insulated to R-49 and R-13 thermax was attached to the interior face of the basement walls. My clients are delighted with the house and moved in last month.

Work-from-home is common now, but some people still want a bit of a commute. How about a scenic stroll from your country home to an all-purpose garage–homebrew kitchen–office not far away? The exterior takes its cues from my client’s Taliesin Architects designed prairie style home, with a lighter band of stucco above a darker band, both in rich earthy tones. Our bold move was to attach the hip roof of the office to the spacious volume of the garage and kitchen, thereby fusing a prairie element to a shed roof, expansive enough for a large solar array. The walls call for 2″ of foam attached to the sheathing on a 2×6 wall, for a total of R-30. The ceiling calls for R-60 in the vaulted truss space. Plans are out for bid.

With pleasant views all around, an oak grove for shelter, and a sloping meadow facing southeast this home nestles easily into the site. The small footprint belies all the extra space gained with a walkout basement and under-the-eaves studio above. Preliminary plans call for an R-45 double stud wall, and R-60 within site-built rafters at the ceiling. Preliminary Plans are complete. Final Construction Plans are on hold.

It was a pleasure working on this handsome family home with a semi-attached barn-look garage. Children’s bedrooms are in the walkout basement, with the parents suite on the main floor and tucked behind a work-from-home office. This home plans for R-45 double stud walls and R-60 to 80 on the (non-habitable) attic floor. Plans are out for bid.

This large and striking home will sit atop a meadow, now planted in native prairie by the owners who long to move from the city and enjoy this special spot. Preliminary Plans call for R-45 double stud walls and R-60 in the vaulted ceilings. Some revisions to the Preliminary Plans are pending.

A cabin on the North Shore of Lake Superior is a wonderful vision, and I was eager to help my clients see their graph paper sketches transformed into fully scaled plans and a 3D model. This project is on hold.

When your house is too small to host your extensive family, who love to gather to cook, eat, play cards, and hike around the farm, you build a party barn—right? This design calls for an R-45 double stud wall and R-60 in the vaulted ceiling. This project has received preliminary zoning approval. The next step is finding a suitable general contractor and preparing Final Construction Drawings.