HEATING & COOLING

Radiant heating and cooling is approximately 20 times more efficient than standard air-based heating and cooling, because it uses water to transfer heat rather than air. Water is able to hold much more heat than air.
  • The thermal ‘flywheel’ effect prevents the house from over-heating or cooling during periods of extreme temperature. Because it takes so long for the slab to reach a certain temperature, it tends to stay there even when temperatures rise or drop dramatically.
  • Because water holds so much more heat than air, it eliminates need for large ducts. In fact, the only ducts that are needed are for ventilation, which tend to be much smaller and localized than typical ducts.
  • Radiant heat transfer results in more comfortable space than standard systems.
  • According to the energy modeling, the design of the house should eliminate the need for any cooling. Installing radiant cooling future-proofs the home against climate change and serves as a demonstration of the technology.

Plumbing

  • On-demand hot water loop quickly delivers hot water without constantly running pumps.
  • Low-flow fixtures dramatically reduce water demand (Dornbracht fixtures meeting ultra low flow standards).
    • lavatory faucets 1.5 gpm
    • showerheads 1.75 gpm
    • toilets average flush rate 1.1 gpm
    • PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) tubing eliminates need for copper piping.
    • All wastewater (black and grey) fed to septic system and then to subsurface irrigation system so 100% of water is recycled and repurposed.

PEX fire-sprinkler system

  • Eliminates need for PVC, copper or steel piping.
  • Fire-sprinkler system is tied to a toilet, which continuously flushes water through the piping keeping it healthy; water in a typical fire-sprinkler system will sit stagnant for years.

Pool heating

  • Geothermal tubes and heat exchange pumps eliminate the need for a gas water heater ensuring the fossil fuel free status of the house. Six 300 ft. deep geothermal tubes were installed to support the pool. Other equipment includes Florida Geo Heat Pumps, Flat plate Pool Heat Exchanger and Grundfos Magna Pumps.
  • Extensive energy modeling determined that a heated natural pond system in this climate would cause excessive heat loss, impairing the project’s ability to be net-zero energy.
  • The Project
The Project