Past Meets Present in Kensington Arts and Crafts LEED Gold Home

About the Project

Project Location: Kensington, MD
Certifications: LEED Gold, ENERGY STAR, Indoor airPLUS
Developer: Judy Whalley
Builder: Bethesda Bungalows
Architect: Rill Architects

Set in a close-in suburb of Washington, D.C., this beautiful custom-built home in Kensington, MD melds traditional arts and crafts architectural design and detail, including oak trim, handmade tile and hand-crafted built-in cabinetry, with state-of-the-art efficient green construction to create a home that is both environmentally conscious and warmly inviting. This home demonstrates that fine American hand craftsmanship and the beauty of the arts and crafts aesthetic can easily be captured while minimizing energy and water use and utilizing durable, recycled and renewable products.

Energy demand for cooling was minimized by the prairie school design of the house with wrap-around front and side porches and a back pergola that shade the house while providing outdoor living space. The home is also shaded by mature trees that were carefully protected throughout the construction process.

The home is highly energy efficient with a HERS rating of 52, making it approximately 50% more energy efficient than a code built home. Heating, cooling and hot water is supplied by a geothermal system with two 450 foot deep geothermal wells. The external envelope of the house is extremely tight, reducing energy loss during both heating and cooling. Sprayfoam was used for interior cavity insulation. Everyday Green advised the project team to consider exterior rigid foam. They selected Structurally Insulated Sheathing (SIS) panels which helps prevent thermal bridging, serves as the rigid sheathing, and provides an additional integral moisture barrier. High performance, low-E, argon filled Jeld-Wen windows further reduce energy loss.

All HVAC ducts are insulated and located in conditioned space, and sealed with mastic rather than tape, to reduce heat loss while maximizing air flow and all hot water pipes throughout the house are insulated with R-4 to prevent heat loss.

The house also utilizes highly energy efficient lighting, including CREE recessed dimmable LED lights, recessed fluorescent exterior porch lights, and beautiful, energy efficient, hand forged and sculpted lighting fixtures by Hubbardton Forge of Castleton, Vermont, four time winner of the Vermont Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. ENERGY STAR appliances are used throughout the house.

The home is equally water efficient. Dual flush toilets and WaterSense high efficiency faucets and showerheads were installed in all bathrooms. The landscaping was constructed to minimize water usage by minimizing lawn and using drought resistant grass, installing drought resistant and native plants, and grouping plants by water usage. Drip irrigation was installed for shrubbery and plants.

All framing was panelized and constructed offsite, reducing lumber waste in framing; the framing lumber is FSC certified and borate treated to prevent termites. The exterior is HardiPlank fiber cement siding designed to last 50 years, resistant to rot, cracking, hail damage, etc., with a baked on paint finish for lasting durability. All exterior trim is Life Span FSC certified trim, with EPA approved organic preservatives to protect against rot, termites, fungus or water damage. The porch decking is Fiberon composite recycled decking.

The interior of the house was also constructed using recycled, reclaimed and renewable materials. The first floor is filled with natural stained FSC certified oak—crown moldings, wide cased openings between rooms, and a beamed ceiling reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright homes. The floors throughout the first and second floors of the house are locally reclaimed oak floring supplied from Second Chance in Baltimore. They were refinished to give a beautiful “old” feel to the house. Flooring throughout the basement is durable and warm renewable cork. All the counters in the house are recycled glass and/or porcelain—icestone, ECO by Constentino or Zodiaq. The bath tile, as well as the kitchen backsplash, were produced by artisans at Trikenen Tile Works of West Swanzey, NH and Hornell, NY, using traditional techniques, but new environmentally sound processes.

Indoor air quality was of particular concern, and the home was built with low- or no- VOC caulks, sealants, adhesives, paints and other finishes inside and out, and with formaldehyde free cabinetry, tile, counters and built-ins, meeting the EPA Indoor airPlus standards. All HVAC ducts were sealed throughout construction to prevent debris from entering the ductwork. The HVAC system utilizes Merv 13 air filters, and because the envelope of the house is so tight, fresh air is brought into the house by a Renewaire Energy Recovery Ventilation system that tempers incoming air and moderates humidity extremes.

It has two fireplaces, both gas and direct vented to avoid the introduction of contaminates in to the house with an electronic pilot. All baths contain humidistat controlled ENERGY STAR bath fans to eliminate humidity and prevent mold and mildew.

General Information

• 5 Bedrooms
• 4 ½ baths
• 4710 finished square feet
• Two story plus finished basement
• Lot size: 17,826 square feet
• Two car detached garage
• Walking distance to three bus routes and easily accessible to three subway stops and three shopping, dining and entertainment centers.