354 Boston Neck Rd is a gut remodel of a duplex built in 1962 which had been foreclosed and abandoned. The project is seeking to become the first Deep Energy Retrofit pilot project by National Grid in Rhode Island. The project is also seeking certification under the National Association of Home Builders National Green Building Standard, the U.S Department of Energy Builders Challenge Program, and the Energy Star Program.
>> What is a Deep Energy Retrofit?
Highlights of the home are as follows:
As much as possible of the existing structure was salvaged and reused. The original structure is standard 2 x 4 construction. An entire exoskeleton was then built around the structure, consisting of a new roof framed over the existing, and then new 2 x 4 wall built over the existing walls. This will result in large cavities for insulation, which will be a combination of open cell foam, closed cell foam, and rigid exterior insulation. The end state will be an R-60 roof and R-40 walls, along with triple paned, R-5 windows. This is an extremely tight and efficient building envelope.
The house is heated and cooled with mini-split heat pumps. For ventilation, air is exchanged through a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV), which changes the interior air with fresh outside air, but keeps the heat or cooling in the house.
Water is heated through a tankless, on demand hot water system. Water fixtures will EPA Water Sense.
The septic system will be an environmentally friendly denitrification sand filter.
Interior materials will be from rapidly renewable resources, such as bamboo and cork. Finishes, such as paints, will have no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).