As a builder that prides itself in customization, Belmonte was enthusiastic about building a unique, high performance home. As a larger builder in the NY market, however, Belmonte was insistent that the energy efficient building systems specified be affordable and repeatable so that they could be integrated into their client offerings in future homes. Keeping this focus in mind, the redesign process resulted in targeted measures expected to result in a HERS score of 91.0 and a reduction of whole house energy use of 35% over Belmonte’s baseline home.

Award Winning Home

This absolutely stunning home swept the competition at the 2008 Saratoga’s Showcase of Homes. Belmonte’s high performance home won first place in all 8 divisions for homes under $600,000. This included; Best Exterior, Best Floor Plan, Best Workmanship, Best Landscaping, and the coveted Realtor’s Choice.  

Above Grade Walls

Belmonte’s redesigned home employs above grade walls that are designed for energy efficiency, performance, and affordability. After collecting pricing on competing systems, the builder settled on a “flash and batt” wall system that will use 2 inches of closed cell spray foam followed by 3.5 inches thick high-density fiberglass insulation to reach an R-27 in the interior wall cavity. Insulated vinyl siding at R-3 provides continuous insulation to the assembly for a whole wall rated at R-30.

Here is a picture of the insulated vinyl siding being installed on the Belmonte home.

ATTIC

When building a high performance home it is important not to neglect light fixtures when creating a tight building envelope. The Belmonte home installed recessed lights that are self-contained and rated for direct contact with insulation. Below is a picture of the light fixture pre-insulation and anther with 2 inches of spray foam installed in the attic. You can easily see conditioned air will escape through or around the light fixture into the attic.

Below Grade Walls

Below grade walls will be insulated with a full-length R-30 blanket. Installation of the blanket is expected to be more difficult than the lighter and thinner R-11 blanket that’s typical to the region. Band joists will be spray foamed to reduce air infiltration.

The Redesign Process

The Belmonte baseline home was redesigned to reduce the window to wall area, which increases envelope efficiency. The builder was able to accommodate the window to wall area reduction by converting the baseline home’s conditioned flex room to a porch. This redesign maneuver simultaneously improved envelope performance, reduced heating and cooling loads, and increased the affordability of the home without sacrificing its livability. The redesigned footprint is 2112 square feet.