What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
This house was lovingly planned and constructed by a team of highly skilled workers, designers and contractors. Features include frame walls filled with natural soil from the site for high clay content walls covered with natural finish plaster which helps create thermal mass and regulate humidity and in the process releases negative ions which is reported to have positive health benefits. Continuous filtered fresh air bought into the house through a carefully designed ERV whole house ventilation system provides clean fresh air when windows are closed. Majority of cabinet boxes constructed out formaldehyde free 3/4" plywood.
Along with all the features listed in the Description. Central Vacuum System removes fine dust and contaminants from the house.Property Description
2386 sqft, 3 bedroom, 2 bath plus a 660sf Garage and 390 sf of portals on 1.1 Acres of Land looking at Taos Mountain to the East, Truchas Peaks to the South and Pasture Land to the West - LEED Registered (submitted for Platinum), Passive House Pre-Certified
ENERGY EFFICIENCY FEATURES:
-House Roof Insulation – loose fill Cellulose for approx R102 Roof over Main House
-House Windows & Patio Door are Serious Windows with double glazing and a third heat shield layer in the center producing glazing that is rated between R5.6 and R9.1. Special care was taken minimizing the thermal bridging around the windows. In addition, seasonal sun-screens are provided which reduce the heat gain in the summer months.
-House Perimeter Insulation – 6”Rigid Foam= R25 on Stem-wall
-House Underslab Insulation – 9”xRigid Foam=R39 Below Slab
-House Walls – 12” walls filled with cellulose plus 2”Rigid Foam on exterior which adjusted for framing amounts to about R52 Ext Walls
-House has breathable air barrier DOW with special attention and expense exerted on an air tight envelope that resulted in under 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 pascal of pressure
-House has all CFL (approx 46 bulbs) and LED (approx 60 bulbs) throughout.
-These energy upgrades were carefully calculated and planned out before hand in order to meet the stringent Passive House Standard and a LEED Platinum Standard. In fact this house was pre-certified as a Passive House as well as a LEED Platinum Registered. We are in the process of trying to finalize those certifications.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND AIR QUALITY SYSTEMS:
-This House has, along with the exposed concrete slabs, over 50’ of interior 2x6 frame walls filled with local mud to give thermal mass and has mud plaster to help house absorb and release humidity resulting in a more stable and thus more comfortable environment. The process of hydration also releases negative ions which are reported to have positive health effects on people.
-This House has a radon mitigation system consisting of a vented sub-slab gravel bed and carefully sealed plastic barrier under the concrete slab.
-This House has a 5 Panel Drainback solar system with 650 Gal superinsualted solar water storage tank designed to provide the vast majority of DHW and Whole House and Garage Floor Radiant Heat derived from the Sun’s Energy. You will be able to monitor the performance of this system over the internet.
-This House has a ERV whole house ventilation system which precisely exchanges inside air with fresh outside air while exchanging the heat and humidity between the warm outgoing air and cold incoming air. Thus the house has a continuous supply of clean, filtered air providing a more allergy free, healthy indoor climate.
-This House’s South facing canales collecting over 60% of rainwater runoff have rainwater catch basins diverting rainwater into a pumice wicking bed with 10 cuyd of pumice buried under a potential garden bed. Water not collected in this bed is channeled so it can be directed to future plantings. Additional Rainwater on the North side of the house is channeled through landscaping for future planting beds
-The majority of this home’s electrical needs will be provided by the sun through a 2.8KW Photovoltaic Grid Tie-Back, Net Metering System. You will be able to monitor the performance of this system over the internet.
ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION QUALITY FEATURES:
-This House has a 60 mil (vs std 45 mil) TPO light colored roof behind the parapets and a 26 ga. corrugated metal room on the portals.
-This house has fiberglass sound insulation in all open bay interior walls between interior living spaces to minimize the transmission of sound.
-This house has custom cabinetry with ¾” real wood maple veneer boxes and solid granite countertops in the kitchen
-This house predominantly mud plastered interior walls consisting of a custom plaster mix including Kaolin Clay, Mica, Flour, Sand, Straw and Color.
-Exterior Walls are finished with cementitious Stucco over a cement plaster base coat providing a breathable wall system. The entire exterior is covered with expanded metal lath and then with Stucco wire to minimize cracks.
-Interior Doors are custom 1 ¾” custom plank doors. The garage door is a high quality steel wrapped door with 2” high quality insulation. Exterior Entry doors are Therma-Tru Doors Fiberglass doors with high quality insulation values.
-Natural gas line has been run to the house perimeter for future needs of Spa or BBQ.
- Conduit has been stubbed out to two sides of house for future use.
LOTS OF SPECIALTY FEATURES:
- Custom Entry Fountain
- Master Bath Steam Shower
-Bedroom Alcove Storage and Built-In Bookcases
-Central Vacuum System including Garage Outlet
-High Amperage Circuit in Garage with 10' Ceiling
-Walnut Bookcase in Living Room
-Wall to Wall built in custom ET unit
-Entry Cabinet with USB phone Charger Port
This house was built through a team effort spearheaded by Ben van Willigen, BvW Inc Construction, Taos NM; Juaquin Karcher of ZeroEdesign, Taos, NM; Micahel Tarleton of Tarleton Engineering, Taos, NM; and Wolfgang Meller of Energy Consuting, Shokan,NY.
Neighborhood Description
Located 10 minutes North of Taos close to the village of Arroyo Seco on the road to Taos Ski Valley which is 20 minutes away.
Anasi Charter School and Arroyos Del Norte Elementary Schools are minutes away.Market Area
Taos NM is a nationally recognized destination town with great attractions in the arts, Native American and local Hispanic cultures, outdoor adventures such as rafting, hiking mountain biking and excellent fly fishing. World Class skiing is a short distance away, a new eco-park having one of the best artificial turf soccer fields in the country, a youth and family center with ice rink, swimming pool and skate board terrain park. Santa Fe is only 90 minutes away, Albuquerque with its wonderful easy access airport is only 2.5 hrs away.School District
Community
Location of Home or Land
Rural
Elevation of Home
Mountain
Air Quality
| Agriculture in Area | yes |
| Industry in Area | no |
| Air Pollution in Area | no |
| Pesticide Free | yes |
| Fragrance Free | yes |
| Cleaned with Green Products | yes |
Interior Environment
| Heating System | Hydronic Floor Heat (radiant) |
| Cooling System | Other |
| Ventilation System | Heat Exchanger |
| Whole House Filtration | Other |
| Whole House Vacuum | yes |
Energy & Water
| Energy System | Photovoltaic (PV) |
| Water System | Well |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Exterior Finish | Stucco |
| Interior Finish | Earthen Plaster |
| Interior Paint | Low VOC |
| Floor Material | Concrete |
| Roof Material | Metal |
| Window Material | Other |
| Insulation Material | Recycled Newsprint |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | yes |
| Garage Type | attached |
| Number of Cars | 2 |
| Garage Area | 660 sqft |
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