Swede Hill House

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Project Background

Perched atop a hill on Block Island, Swede Hill House will take in grand panoramas of Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The low-profile, 3,000SqFt three-bedroom home and separate guest suite with rooftop solar panels, boast elegant spaces complemented by pristine natural surroundings. Clad in white cedar shingles, indigenous stone and copper, the house draws inspiration from the traditional New England farmhouse vernacular and features connected buildings wrapped around a courtyard. The project was among the first in the state to register under the LEED for Homes program. Construction on the project will begin in spring 2010, with completion anticipated the following spring.

The goal was simple: to design a beautiful, modest sized home that would achieve a high LEED rating. The project team set out to demonstrate how to incorporate readily available green technology and sensitive design for the luxury home market.

Strategies and Results

The project focus was implementing green features in three main areas: the envelope, indoor air quality and water usage. Spray foam insulation with an R-value of 4 per inch ensures an air-tight envelope. This insulation is water blown and contains 20% agricultural materials making it environmentally preferable as well. To compensate for the large expanses of glass designed to capture views and cross ventilation, Energy Star windows with U-values equal to or less than 0.30, were specified, which is above and beyond International Energy Conservation Code requirements.

Such a tight envelope means that the indoor air needs to be supplemented with fresh outdoor air. An HRV (heat recovery ventilator) that exhausts stale air and supplies fresh air while capturing 85% of the latent heat energy in the stale air is specified. To further enhance air quality, low VOC paints, sheet goods and carpets will be used. Also, during construction, the air ducts will be sealed to prevent infiltration of construction debris and dust particles. Prior to occupancy, the entire home will be flushed of any airborne odors and particles. Once flushed, high efficiency 13 filters will be used to filter the air.

Water usage was also of great concern. For all plumbing fixtures in the home, high efficiency fixtures and fittings were specified. These devices use at least 25% less water than conventional ones; for example the toilets use only 1.2 GPF (gallons per flush) as opposed to 1.6 and faucets use 1.8 GPM (gallons per minute) as opposed to 2.5. The project team was also conscious about water management on the exterior of the building. Roof runoff will be directed to a rain garden for on-site infiltration. The entire site was designed with either a permeable surface or a hardscape, sloped so that the runoff would be directed to the rain garden.

About Aquidneck Fine Properties

Aquidneck Properties approaches each project with a clean and simple sense of design. Their design/build team is dedicated to developing luxury real estate that blends classic architecture with an elegant, contemporary style. Aquidneck is committed to responsible land use, sustainable design and green building practices.

Download LEED Project Profile (PDF)