Peabody Architects

Retrofitting a Rambler

After this owner purchased a 1950’s ranch house on Lake Barcroft, they came to us for help. They wanted better flow in the public parts of the house, but more importantly, they wanted their renovated home to consume a fraction of the energy it did before they started. Because of an asthma condition, they were especially concerned with indoor air quality.

We began with “normal” architect work: studying their programmatic needs in the kitchen, dining and living areas. We proposed several schemes, each with small additions. But as we considered budget, and the range of energy upgrades desired, we all realized it made sense to work within the existing footprint of the house. In the end, we rearranged spaces, but no square footage was added.

Our next step was making an energy model of the existing house. This was an Energy10 computer model that showed how the existing house consumed energy. It became the base for all of our energy studies. Because the existing house had no insulation in the brick walls and minimal insulation in the attic, our biggest decision was how (and how much) to insulate. The energy model studies, along with real construction cost information, guided our decisions.

After considering many alternatives, the owner decided to fully insulate nearly every wall. Because of the existing solid brick construction, this required adding 2 1/2” of wood framing to the inside of the house, and filling it with closed-cell spray foam insulation. We even removed the ceiling from the existing finished basement so that the wall insulation would be continuous right down the to basement slab. We added 6” of the same insulation to the underside of the roof deck. Spray foam insulation makes a home virtually air tight, which greatly reduces energy consumption. It also means that we needed to provide a continuous trickle of fresh air to the home to assure good indoor air quality. We handled this with an ERV (energy recovery ventilator), which uses the outgoing stale air to pre-condition the incoming fresh air.

We also used triple glazed fiberglass windows. These cost about 10% more than standard double glazed windows, but with the large panes of glass, we all agreed they made sense for comfort and energy consumption. We specified a different glazing on the south windows than on the west, north and east windows. This allows the house to maximize its capture of winter sun, reducing the heating loads for the mechanical system. Southern windows are protected from summer sun by overhangs.

Recessed lights use dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs, and they never interfere with the insulation envelope. We considered LED cans, but because of their expense, decided to forgo them. New appliances and exhaust fans are EnergyStar.
Green materials include: cork floors in the kitchen and bathrooms, resin backsplashes at the kitchen, formaldehyde-free Ikea cabinets at the kitchen and bath.

This client inspired us, because with each choice they made, energy consumption always came first. They asked hard questions, demanded data to help them make decisions, and were careful about compromises. In the end, they remade their home into an efficient, comfortable, beautiful home – with a most amazing view of the lake!