Energy Efficiency and elegance combine in the design of this English Manor colonial home. The home is designed to take maximum advantage of the winter sun with a 50 foot two story solarium which opens to all the major rooms. The home is 3100 square feet with a 550 square foot solarium. It has a master suite on the first floor and three bedrooms on the second floor and 2 ½ baths. The heat collected in the solarium in the winter is stored in the brick floor and in the brick wall that separates the solarium from the living room and bedrooms. Heat is moved from the solarium by natural convection by opening windows into the solarium and can be forced through the large return air grill in the ceiling of the solarium when the furnace fan is on. The solarium is cooled by opening windows to the outside to create natural convection and by a large whole house fan which also cools the whole house. The home was analyzed by the US Department of Energy National Solar Data Network and the performance of the home proved to be outstanding. During the construction period, the home went through a cold winter and maintained comfortable temperatures in the mid 60s before the heating system was even installed. During a very cold winter day, if the sun is out, the heating system never comes on. Winter heating costs are less than $100 per month at today’s gas prices for this large 4,100 square foot home. Air-conditioning is rarely used due to the abundant thermal mass and generous ventilation provided by the whole house fan. This home out performs 99.8% of all new homes today and was designed by John Spears and built 25 years ago in 1981.
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