MJ Adams Legacy Women Build Initiative – Completed 2016
Not only was this build our first Easthampton home, but it was also our MJ Adams Legacy Women Build Initiative, our first ever Women Build home! Instead of a week or weekend, this build focused on engaging and highlighting women in construction at all phases of the project, and a majority of the leadership and labor that went into the home building was done by Valley women. It was also our first zero net energy potential house! That’s a lot of firsts!
A zero lot-line duplex, this home was able to be our first zero net energy potential house. Thanks to a generous donation from Pioneer Valley Photovoltaics, these homeowners will have the opportunity to potentially generate on-site as much energy as they need to operate the house.
Rather than using the latest expensive technology, our green building initiatives all focus on simple changes that work to increase the durability and efficiency of a home long-term. Here are some of the ways the building is designed to reduce the amount of energy required for heating and cooling:
- Orientation and design of the building to have large windows on the south side to capture sun in the winter and large roof overhang to minimize sun in the summer when the sun is higher
- Double 2×4 walls (an outside wall and a separate inside wall) with dense pack cellulose insulation in between
- High efficiency double pane windows
- Sealing all window, door and sheathing joints to minimize outside air infiltration
- High efficiency heating, cooling and hot water systems
Our Easthampton home was a success, and we have continued to expand on our Green Building initiatives in the years since.
