BerHoff Homes, LLC Builds LEED-H Home

BerHoff Homes, LLC of Neenah, Wisconsin is building a home in Appleton, WI certified by EnergyStar, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED-H program and the EPA Indoor airPlus program. The home will also be Zero-Net Energy, meaning it will have no gas or electric bills.

The 4,438 square foot farmhouse styled home incorporates advanced framing that reduces the amount of lumber used on the external structure by 43%. This reduces the framing costs and allows for more insulation for added thermal retention. One-inch foam board used for the external sheeting of the structure eliminates any thermal loss from the wood structure. Additional foam is used underneath the basement concrete floor. Cellulose insulation, which is made from recycled newspaper, and spray foam is used throughout to maximize insulating values. The attic trusses are also thermal broken to eliminate any remaining thermal bridging. Heating and cooling is done through an air source heat pump and supplemented by a pellet stove. Hot water heat is supplemented by solar hot water heat. A hot water loop system is in place, allowing for only 1 ½ cup of lost water before hot water is at the faucet.

Solar electricity is generated on site through a 6.11 kW solar panel array. A combination of LED lighting and compact fluorescent lighting is used throughout the home with all other appliances and equipment selected for their efficiencies and EnergyStar ratings. An onsite energy management system through an Apple iPad allows the homeowner to monitor the energy consumption and manage it to peak efficient levels. Anderson windows and doors are used throughout to achieve the highest level of thermal gain for the best value. Extensive recycling was done throughout the construction of the home to minimize the waste that would be otherwise sent to the landfills.

The home was originally slated to meet environmental building standards from the USGBC LEED-H program at the Silver level of certification. Through the selection process, it was determined that that home could meet the Gold level and is slated to achieve that level, making it the first LEED-H Gold certified single family home in Wisconsin. Cabinetry provided by Valley Cabinets of Neenah is also certified as a Green Manufacturer. Paints and carpeting are selected based on the chemical contents to negate unhealthy products in the home. Reclaimed bricks from a demolished building in Milwaukee are used in the lower level bar area and bathroom. The home incorporates many other reclaimed items such as hardwood flooring, slate roofing tiles as floor tiles, interior doors and hardware, sinks and faucets, accent wood, light fixtures and a countertop for the bar that once was a bowling alley lane. Rainwater will be captured for the garden. All landscaping will feature native and edible landscaping with no-mow grass.

The home was designed by Cindi McSwain of Appleton with the assistance of BerHoff Homes, LLC. Its farmhouse feel is inviting to a time lost, while the contemporary lower level offers a retrofitted historic look with new contemporary features. The home has three bedrooms, two full baths with two half-baths, a solarium for food production, office, a kitchen any chef would love, a home theater and adjacent bar designed for home brewing. It also has a passive root and wine cellar for food and spirit storage. The home will be completed in mid-August 2010.