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The Ellery integrates deep energy efficiency with modern, comfortable living. Paltrin collaborated with a visionary homeowner to transform their environmental values into a high-performance, all-electric sanctuary. This project goes far beyond standard construction, targeting and achieving true energy independence, radical carbon reduction, and unparalleled indoor health.
Results and StatsBeds: 3
Baths: 1
Square Feet: 1629
Air Leakage: 0.5 ACH50
HERS Score (with solar): -32
HERS Score (without solar): 25
The core mission was to create a home that actively reflects a commitment to sustainability, targeting both personal comfort and planetary health. Specific goals included achieving exceptional energy efficiency, eliminating all on-site fossil fuels, and ensuring superior indoor air quality. These were accomplished through a holistic strategy: a meticulously detailed building envelope, a fully electrified mechanical system, and integrated renewable energy. The project successfully demonstrates that building beyond code is the key to resilience, comfort, and a minimal carbon footprint.
The foundation of the home’s performance is its supremely efficient thermal enclosure, designed to drastically reduce energy demand. With R-56 walls, an R-90 attic of dense-packed cellulose, and triple-pane tilt-turn windows, the home maintains stable temperatures year-round. Critical details like a 24-inch energy heel, an 8” insulated slab with a thermal break, and obsessive air sealing resulted in an astounding 0.5 ACH50 air leakage rate. This ultra-tight envelope is the cornerstone of its low energy needs and exceptional comfort.
Every system within the home prioritizes efficiency, health, and quiet performance. A cold-climate heat pump provides precise heating and cooling, while a heat pump water heater delivers abundant hot water with minimal energy use. An Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) constantly supplies fresh, filtered air while retaining humidity and temperature, safeguarding indoor air quality. The all-electric ethos is completed by an induction stove and an efficient heat pump washer/dryer, eliminating indoor pollutants from combustion and creating a truly healthy living environment.
The home’s drastically reduced energy load is powered by a robust, integrated 13.44 kW solar photovoltaic system. This system is sized to not only meet the home’s operational needs but also to power the homeowner’s electric vehicle, moving beyond net-zero to verifiable net-positive energy production. Strategic south-facing windows maximize beneficial passive solar gain, working in harmony with the active solar array. This creates a self-sustaining energy ecosystem that provides utility freedom, resilience, and the daily benefits of abundant natural light.
The Ellery home’s performance is validated by industry-standard metrics that far exceed those of a typical new build. The home achieved an exceptional HERS Score of -32 with its solar PV system active, and a 25 without it, placing it among the top tier of energy-efficient homes. The critical 0.5 ACH50 air leakage result confirms the exceptional quality of the envelope. These measurable results translate directly into radical energy savings, complete freedom from fossil fuels, and a proven model for sustainable construction.
“I have dedicated my career and other parts of my life to mitigating climate collapse and now my house reflects those values of reducing carbon emissions, reducing pollutants both inside and outside my home, energy efficiency, and decreasing waste, while also providing an excellent level of comfort and quality of life. The south-facing windows with a high solar gain have additional perks that I love, such as never needing to turn on a light during the day, fending off seasonal depression during the short winter days, and the ability to grow food inside all year long. (Plus my dog loves staring out the windows to make sure the neighborhood is peaceful.) Living in this house has shown me the meaning of building comfort and sustainability, versus just building to meet minimum code requirements.”