NetZeroBuild house construction, Sept. 5, 2013

NetZeroBuild house construction, Sept. 5, 2013

NetZero Sep 5, 2013 from Sticks and Stones Productions on Vimeo.

From Sticks and Stones Video – Midori – Sept 5 2013

Once again we have a stellar video from Midori and Sticks and Stones Video.

In this clip we watch Eric (Master Timber Framer) preparing ‘dry white oak’ timbers for placement.

Also in the video Lou Fenninger describes how the big timbers are placed seamlessly during the construction.

Thanks again to Midori for the excellent video clips.

Groovy grooves in big timbers – NetZeroBuild – August 18 – 2013

Groovy grooves in big timbers – NetZeroBuild – August 18 – 2013

Photos by Terry Gavan

A local reporter took a walk through the site late last week in an attempt to decipher how the big timbers are prepared by master timber framer Eric.

The cuts are all pretty painstaking and feature some pretty specific measurements. You will note that the angles and the notches are all scored first with a boxcutter and then the cutouts are made and shaved accordingly.

Thanks for putting up with the improvised narrative. Eric left before our crew could get over to him for some comments.

We will be talking to Eric in our next video.

The Moore House – A pueblo inspired themed house

The Moore House – A pueblo inspired themed house

Inspired by the architecture of the Pueblo Indians, the Moore house was designed by Doerr Architecture to create more energy than it uses, a net-zero energy home. Mike and Ann Moore had property at an elevation of almost 8000 feet in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and wanted a 3500 square foot home with space to show their art collection. They wanted a home that captured the feel of adobe architecture as well as the views of the continental divide while treading lightly on the earth.

Architect Thomas Doerr alluded to Pueblo buildings with a composition of simple forms that have flat roofs, plaster walls, vigas (log beams), turquoise-colored window frames and a circular courtyard reminiscent of Native American spiritual spaces, kivas.

The Moore Studio achieves net-zero energy usage with passive solar design, ‘tuned’ heat reflective windows, super-insulated and air-tight construction, natural daylighting, solar thermal panels for hot water and space heating, a photovoltaic (PV) system that generates more carbon-free electricity than the house requires, and an energy-recovery ventilator (ERV) for fresh air. The green building strategies used on the Moore Studio earned it an amazing and verified HERS score of -3; one of a few houses in the US to ever do this.

Other green building strategies used in the Moore Studio include a grey water system, using salvaged and FSC certified wood, and using low-emission cabinetry and finishes.

This house was featured on the Colorado Renewable Energy Society’s 2010 Denver Area Solar and Green Home Tour and in the videos The Net-Zero Energy Moore House and the Passive Solar Simplified.