A Boston-based design and architecture firm announced the completion of the city’s first internationally certified Passive House single-family home project.
RODE Architects and Passive House Construction completed the Brucewood Homes project which consists of three single-family homes in West Roxbury. The collaboration, according to a press release, reflects design techniques from Passive House that were “previously unproven in Boston along with sustainability-focused concepts that require minimal energy consumption and resilient construction.”
“Brucewood Homes demonstrates our commitment to collaboration, craftsmanship and pushing the boundaries to design buildings that address the issues of climate change,” said Kevin Deabler, principal and co-founder of RODE Architects. “This project celebrates what we believe in: that our work enhances a sense of place, and often the simplest forms can make the biggest statements.”
Deabler says next his company is exploring ways to bring sustainable design into Greater Boston and beyond, including single-family, multi-family and commercial developments.
The Passive House techniques used by RODE Architects and Passive House Construction incorporated the latest in sustainability-centered advancements in the design. All three homes in the project were sold before they were complete and were “Net Zero/Net Positive” ready at move-in, which RODE says indicates there’s increased market interest for super-efficient homes.
Some of the techniques incorporated in the West Roxbury home included a contemporary design with each home having a slightly different angled ridge line so they weren’t identical. Each property’s site plan was designed to minimize the removal of ledge and mature trees, while also maximizing solar gain by having full-height, south-facing windows. They each also include energy-saving concepts including airtight and heavily-insulated walls significantly limiting energy use throughout the seasons, as well as wood louvers on the facade that can control light in the home’s central living and dining area. They also help direct solar heat to keep the inside of the home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
“In Brucewood Homes, we created houses with the highest levels of quality, performance and energy efficiency, bringing much-needed sustainable housing and introducing Passive House to Boston,” said Dmitry Baskin, CEO of Passive House Construction LLC. “This project shows that when developers and architects collaborate with a shared vision, the result of the partnership can be powerful, innovative and beautiful.”