Awards Tour, Part II

River House, Hanover

The Architect, USGBC NH Chapter Member Sloane Mayor, led the tour by starting outside. There, we took in the beautiful River and surrounding wetlands, a serene environment demanding protection.

Unapologetically modern and durable, but modest, materials are used here: galvalume for the standing seam roof, cement fiberboard for the siding. The overall building has been intentionally de-emphasized through simple colors and details, keeping the focus on the beautiful landscape. You may notice one of our members busily tracking the ethereal qualities of the site (light, wind, air quality, I'm sure much more as well - make sure to ask her about it at the next meeting!).

One of the pieces of testing equipment. This one looks like it's measuring air speed.

Another piece of testing equipment. I was told, but still do not understand, quite what this does.

 LED "pucks" light up the owner's beautiful artwork and custom furniture. Everything inside seems to be a sustainable product, from the wood to the counters to the paint.

Yes, the all-important HRV (or ERV?). Crucial in a tight, high-performance house like this to ensure fresh air without a big hit to energy efficiency.

 Even the basement was given special consideration. The finishes and great natural light almost fooled me into thinking we were on the first level.

 With 52 LEED points, and a shared award for last year's most sustainable building, this residence stands out as a success story in NH, making us all think a little harder about how we build our homes. 

Thanks to both Owner and Architect for the inspiration. I hope many follow suite.