Energy-Efficient, 'Lean' House at Maine
As a developer, it can be complicated to construct a new house if you don’t have a buyer however. “You’ve got to envision fake customers and what their needs will probably be,” says architect David Matero. In cases like this, he teamed up with a group of developers and real estate agents to advertise sustainable, LEED-certified houses in a development in Maine where the lots had been generating lots of interest. Their attempts attracted 220,000 hits to the website and perfect buyers for the first home: a like-minded bunch who worked in the Nature Conservancy, an environmental group.
One draw of this house was its elastic and energy-efficient plan. A basement option with tub was available, and an upstairs attic can act as an office, a craft room or a third bedroom. The plan also left space on the website for a future master bedroom plus screened-in porch, preventing the need for a transfer if the owners’ needs changed. The homeowners signed on prior to construction and changed hardly any of the proposed plans.
in a Glance
Who lives here: David and Anne and their young son, Colden
Location: Brunswick, Maine
Size: About 2,000 square feet; 2 to 4 bedrooms (attic and basement could be transformed), 2.5 bathrooms
Year constructed: 2011
That’s interesting: Matero’s wife, Cathy, came up with the name, The Lean Too House. “The initial design was using a mono slope roof, looking like a lean-to, close to ground. But then being lean has other connotations, for example not wasteful and simple also: lean, also,” says Matero.
David Matero Architecture
They completed construction around New Year’s Day 2012, a fantastic time of year to check how the energy-efficient elements stood up into the cold Maine winters. The envelope is very tight. “Insulation is key, particularly in the attic,” says Matero. “Houses shed most of their heat through the roof throughout the cold months. The walls, roof and basement were thoroughly insulated to LEED certification standards.” This also entails bringing in fresh air mechanically.
Matero used low-maintenance and durable materials like a metallic roof and fiber cement siding. Batten and board accents break up the facade.
“The galvalume roof varies from grays to blues. It’s very organic. It looks like metal but reflects the colour of the skies,” says Matero.
David Matero Architecture
Orientation was key. The house and windows have been put to take advantage of solar gain throughout wintermonths, and Douglas fir sunshades block the direct sunlight in summer time. “I had been here last week as it was 90 degrees outside, but the temperatures inside the house was 73 degrees, thanks to the sunshades,” illustrates Matero. And no, the house doesn’t have air conditioning.
The shades also add an interesting architectural element to the home’s facade, linking it into its wooded surroundings.
David Matero Architecture
David Matero Architecture
Upon entering the house, you walk past an accent wall and coat hooks made from reclaimed timber from a local barn.
David Matero Architecture
The big, modern open floor plan on the first floor comprises dining room area in addition to the kitchen and living room spaces, and the south-facing orientation allows for this warm winter light. Conversely, the mudroom, the powder room and the laundry room were put on the other hand, since they don’t need the light as much.
David Matero Architecture
Hint: When planning a kitchen, think about how many upper cabinets you really need. In cases like this, the kitchen profits more views and light by giving extra cabinets for a huge window over the sink.
The ideal side of the island comprises more salvaged barn wood.
David Matero Architecture
Buttery yellow walls, a butcher block–topped island and walnut cabinets using a milk scrub in their facings keep matters even sunnier in kitchen. The island comprises a lot of space for extra storage, eliminating the need for many upper cabinets.
David Matero Architecture
“The windows are a combination of static and casements, as they are better performing than double-hung windows,” says Matero.
David Matero Architecture
The home enjoys so much natural winter light that it can play tricks on the eye. “My customers were Skyping with relatives, and they asked why my customers had every light in the house turned on,” says Matero. “It was only the pure light.”
Flooring: Maine-grown yellow birch, FSC accredited, Maine Traditions Hardwood Flooring, Katahdin Collection
David Matero Architecture
David Matero Architecture
Upstairs, a loft overlooks the living room. Cable railings contribute to the open feeling.
This distance is among those elastic parts of the plan; it is currently employed as an office but could be become a closed-off bedroom as needs change. The rest of the upstairs is made up of two bedrooms and a full bathroom. All south-facing windows are protected from the roof overhang.
David Matero Architecture
The master bedroom receives the early-morning sunlight and the eastern moon’s shine. “I really like to push window all the way into a corner,” says Matero. “It casts shadows which make various shades of blue all over the space and makes it seem larger.”
The owners “were great to use,” he says. “They love promoting the architecture, and everybody who visits the house is very curious about the technology and how it all works — everybody who stops by really enjoys the house.”
Floors: Kraus Flooring, Green Choice Collection
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