Tips
The passive design features that shaped the floor plan include the orientation to northern exposure, large eave overhangs limiting summer heat gain, thoughtful placement of windows for year-round natural light, zoning of the house for thermal control of individual spaces, and placing operable windows and doors on opposing sides of the house for cross ventilation. “It costs no more to design your house with the correct orientation — and saves you lots of money on heating and cooling in the long run,” Kohn says.
The addition is heated with a hydronic system and wall radiators. A thermal chimney via the stairwell, an upstairs fan, zone partitions and operable windows allow heat to disperse and expel as needed. The thermal mass of the double brick wall construction provides additional passive heating and cooling by retaining heat and releasing it in cooler temperatures.
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