New York Resilient House by Sustainable.TO Architecture

Article source: Sustainable.TO Architecture

Designed in response to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in New York, Resilient House creates a dwelling that is both sustainable and resilient in the broadest sense. Socially, it is low cost. Culturally, it accommodates a contemporary lifestyle and aesthetic. Ecologically, it uses minimal resources to build and to operate. This is accomplished through simple, sensitive, and creative design.

Image Courtesy © Sustainable.TO Architecture

• Architects: Sustainable.TO Architecture (Paul Dowsett, Principal Architect)
• Project: New York Resilient House
• Location: New York, USA
• Software used: AutoCAD, SketchUp, VRay and Photoshop.
• Date: 2013 (proposed construction in 2014)

Image Courtesy © Sustainable.TO Architecture

Simplicity is key to cost-effective, flexible housing. The layout of Resilient House orients living spaces towards the sun, and minimizes interior partitions – reducing cost and creating a dramatic beauty the occupants will be proud to call home. The building shape is contemporary, but classic, creating an aesthetic that is sensitive in a broad range of contexts.

Image Courtesy © Sustainable.TO Architecture

SUSTAINABILITY 
The pier foundation of Resilient House reduces site disturbances. Its structurally insulated panel (SIP) structure allows for a very tightly sealed and highly insulated building envelope with minimal thermal bridging. SIPs are pre-fabricated, ensuring minimal material waste and a rapid on-site construction timeline. Interior spaces and apertures are oriented towards the south, allowing solar heating during cold months, while precise overhang depths provide shading during the summer season.

Image Courtesy © Sustainable.TO Architecture

Building above the floodplain with a flood-prone foundation ensures natural phenomenon will not affect the structure. Specifying long-lifespan materials like metal siding and roofs drastically reduces maintenance and replacement costs over the building’s lifespan. By considering the lifespan of the building, we hope to set a precedent for marginal increases in capital investment resulting in reduced operating costs in low-budget housing.

Image Courtesy © Sustainable.TO Architecture

The passive house principles upon which the design is based ensures that the house provides for comfortable living in the days, weeks or months after a severe weather event, before the local power utilities are restored.

BUDGET 
Using traditional construction methods and equipment, this dwelling can be built for under $50k. We encourage a series of upgrades that will improve the building’s durability and maintainability, causing a reduction in the lifecycle cost of the building. Constructing the envelope of Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs) increases insulation thicknesses, and reduces thermal bridging and air leakage. Combined with a more efficient ventilation system and upgraded windows, these two changes result in a 30% reduction in energy consumption. In New York, this results in approximately $450/year in energy savings.

Image Courtesy © Sustainable.TO Architecture

Tags: New York, USA

Categories: Autocad, House, Photoshop, SketchUp

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 13th, 2014 at 12:41 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.