LEED Gold R-2000 Home: Elliott Residence and Soap Bubble Greenhouse

Winner of EnerQuality Green Renovation Project of the Year 2016, this owner-built rural project located in McDonalds Corners can be a single family home, duplex with rental unit, or a residence with commercial kitchen and public space for “unintentional community”. This retrofit/addition of a 600 SF 1930s farmhouse is Certified LEED® for Homes Gold, GreenHouse, R-2000 and ENERGY STAR, and demonstrates that the owners of Homesol Building Solutions do indeed “walk the talk” and live by example.

A high-efficiency Tarm wood boiler with a water-to-water geothermal backup in the adjacent strawbale outbuilding provides heat to a 3500 liter thermal storage tank, which is then distributed throughout both buildings via radiant floor and wall panels. The renewable carbon-neutral biofuel for the boiler is sourced free on-site from the 5-acre maple sugarbush, contributing 48% of the home’s projected total annual energy consumption of 23.7 MJ/m2.

The environmentally-preferable materials for the building were chosen due to their beauty, durability, fire resistance and low maintenance. The curved walls of the café use true R-40 ICFs for ease of installation, mass and continuous insulation, while other walls employ advanced framing with FSC certified wood and 5/8” firecode drywall for mass throughout. The existing house and side addition were clad with cement board siding, while the café’s walls have a granite facing that was sourced within 800 kms from the site. Metal roofing was chosen as a long lasting material that is fully recyclable at the end of its lifespan, with unvented soffits for enhanced fire safety. Year-round organic permaculture food production is provided in the gardens, orchard and adjacent 1500 SF soap bubble insulated and shaded greenhouse.