cohesive. The barn, which features
a steeply sloped south-facing roof, was
essential to achieving net-zero status: an
array of photovoltaic panels are embed-
ded in its cedar roof. The black stain on
the barn makes the panels blend into the
overall aesthetic. The panels are visible,
although they don’t stand out.
But, says Don, solar panels alone don’t
make a house net-zero. “Building a net-
zero house is always this balance of reduc-
ing as far as possible the energy load that
the house draws while at the same time
maximizing the amount of solar energy
you can produce.”
On the conservation side, the house is
super insulated and air-sealed using a
new technology called AeroBarrier. “You
pressurize the house and then you release
this airborne acrylic into the house and
wherever the air is leaking out, it builds
up and it seals the leak,” he says. Triple-
glazed windows and a state-of-the-art
mechanical system were also essential
to achieving the efficiency levels Don
wanted.
As important as efficiency was, this
was designed to be a family home. The
front door spills into the kitchen, where
a sizable island provides room to work
and gather; built-in benches create ample
seating in the dining space. Off the kitchen
are two steps that lead into a spacious
living room, which lies within the addi-
tion. In the corner of this room is a music
nook designed specifically for fourteen-
year-old Nate, a talented musician, and
his piano. Off the living room is a cozy
den and the screened porch, Don and
Dana’s favorite space.
“We’ve been out there so far into the
season that you absolutely can’t sit out
there without hypothermia,” he says.
“We’re all bundled up in these big fur
blankets because that’s the best place in
the house.”
Both the bedrooms and the laundry
room are located on the second floor of
the house. Nate and his brother, eight-
year-old Theo, have bedrooms in the
original part of the house, while the mas-
ter suite is located over the living room
in the addition.
“I like this house and I’m proud of this
house,” says Don. “As an architect, it’s
taken me a lot of time to get to the point
where I have enough confidence to be
simple where it needs to be simple. It’s
harder than it seems.”
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY
l MARCH 2020 103