The Charlotte Vermont House : A Whole Building Design Guide Case Study

This entry contains a link to a detailed case study published by the Whole Building Design Guide. It is a 2009 Beyond Green Award recipient.

As the architect/client, my wife and I had a vision: we either wanted to renovate an existing home for maximum efficiency or find a pre-developed site to begin a self-sufficient homestead. This 44-acre site was chosen for its solar access, agricultural potential and the existing 180' x 80' riding arena, with a residence within. Upon purchasing the property neighbors came forward who were interested in starting their own horse boarding business, and they moved the prefab metal structure piece by piece around the corner, to its new location, saving everything down to the roofing screws.

Our master site plan kept the new house and the new parking area as well as any future outbuildings within the existing footprint of the old arena. This allowed minimal impact to the remaining 43 acres and for full solar access. The topography of the site included a hillside to the east and a high knoll to the west creating a wind tunnel effect for the prevailing southern winds. The property also had a few old trails that were linked to conservation land, which we restored for the community to use.