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Image ©Bridgette Meinhold

Solar passive design is one of the keys to the home’s successful design and energy efficiency strategy. Oriented to the south, large windows soak up as much sunlight as possible and a concrete floor serves as thermal mass to distribute heat through out the house. Small window shades block sun during the summer, but no air conditioning is required – only natural ventilation is needed for cooling. Radiant floors, sunlight, and HRV provide most of the heat needed for the house, but on cold days the efficient fireplace in the living room may need to be turned on. The R-60 walls are super thick achieved using both 11 inches of blown-in insulation and a 4-in thick insulation wrap around the exterior. 125 Haus was designed in accordance with Passivhaus standards although it won’t be able to achieve certification because of a few technicalities.

Passive solar, a tight and heavily insulated envelope, and energy efficient systems are key to the home’s performance. On top of that Rügemer has the entire house wired to monitor systems and temperatures. Accessed from a computer of the home’s tv in the living room, Rügemer can see how the home’s temperature and energy use varies over time. Even though he analyzed almost every scenario he could think of during the design phase, he’s learned even more since living in the home. For instance, he now knows he should have added more thermal mass above the garage to absorb heat from the cars after they return home in the evening. He also knows the master bathroom is colder than it should be. This is the sort of knowledge that comes after experience the space for months and watching his readings. Rügemer plans to take this knowledge and apply it to his other projects and hopes that the 125 Haus can serve as a model for more affordable and higher performing homes in Utah and throughout the country.

+ Atelier Jörg Rügemer

+ 125 Haus at the ITAC University of Utah

Images ©Bridgette Meinhold

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