BPC Green Builders

The James Gainfort & Hayden McKay Residence is a three bedroom, 3,310 square foot custom home built by BPC Green Builders.  Located in New Fairfield, the lot is on a hill overlooking Candlewood Lake. The new house sits on the footprint of the original 60 year old house that was sustainably demolished, with significant recycling and some reuse.

Certification Programs:

• USGBC, LEED for Homes (Platinum target)
• EPA, ENERGY STAR^® Homes Version 3.0
• DOE, Building America Partner
• EPA, Indoor airPLUS

Orientation and Envelope:
The home is designed to maximize solar shading through overhangs on east, south, and west facades. The windows feature: fiberglass frames, triple glazing, argon gas fill, two low-E coatings and a U-value of 0.20.

Insulation and Air Sealing:

• Double wall construction 2x6 exterior, 2x4 interior with offset studs; allows for continuous insulation without thermal bridging for 9.5” of blown cellulose, R-33.
• Blown cellulose fills the 9.5”rafters at the flat roof with an average R-33 value.  In addition, tapered rigid foam board insulation has been installed over the top of the flat roof with an average R-Value of 38, for a total roof assembly of R-71.
• The house will be slab-on-grade with 4” foam board (R-20) on top of existing slab and under new slabs.
• To reduce air infiltration, all penetrations, joints, and cracks are caulked or foamed and rough openings around doors and windows filled with low expanding foam.

Heating, Cooling, and Hot Water:
A 94% AFUE high efficiency, condensing, propane-fired boiler will create hot water for both domestic use and space heating purposes.  A combination of radiant tube floor heating on the 1^st floor and a hydro-air system on the 2^nd floor will provide the space heating.  The cooling will be from a high-efficiency, 16 SEER, AC condenser. 

Ventilation:
Ventilation is provided by an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) which draws exhaust air from the bathrooms (and ventilates them) while simultaneously providing fresh air to the entire house.

Electrical:

The refrigerator, dishwasher and clothes washer will all be ENERGY STAR qualified.

• Solatubes bring natural light to interior corridors and walk-in closet.

• Daylight will be the primary source of light.  The electric lighting will be a mixture of CFL and LED fixtures.
• Wireless lighting control system with multiple zones for maximum energy conservation.

Renewables:
Accommodations for future photovoltaic (PV) arrays have been designed on the roof.  The domestic hot water system will be provided from the high efficiency boiler, but a solar thermal panel system has been designed for potential incorporation into the hot water system in the future.

Resources Sustainability Features:

• 100% of storm-water and roof runoff will be managed on site with 1500 gallon rainwater cisterns, vegetated spaces and permeable paving.
• Native, drought tolerant plantings will be added to the existing, sustainable landscape and gardens.

• Low VOC sealants, caulks, adhesives, primers and paints.
• Locally sourced, reused and repurposed landscape patio and walkway materials.
• Re-used maple flooring, cast iron whirlpool bathtub, concrete block for fill and retaining walls, cabinets, sinks for laundry room, door handles and hardware.
• Green demolition:  full abatement of asbestos and lead. Off-site separation of clean debris.
• All insulated windows, doors and skylights removed and donated for use in other buildings.  Cabinetry and energy efficient appliances donated for reuse.