Low impact sunroom in Rhode Island

Great details make this addition better for the pocketbook and the environment

The owners of this traditional RI home wanted to replace a cramped enclosed porch with a comfortable multipurpose addition, better views of a nearby river and a better expression of their eclectic taste. Although the clients’ initial plans didn’t specifically focus on green building, Joseph Cracco, of Modern Yankee Builders, challenged himself to raise the project’s level of sustainability without raising the cost. The result is a bright and airy family room, an expanded second floor office and a new basement that perform better than the family had imagined possible.

You could say that the motto of Joe’s team was “tread lightly”. Almost 19 tons of concrete were reclaimed by grinding the old foundation into gravel for road beds. The rest of the construction debris was hauled to New England Recycling, in Taunton, MA, where about 84% of it was separated for reuse. After the original porch was carefully deconstructed, the new work shared as much of the original footprint as possible. Site disturbance was kept to a minimum - existing bushes were temporarily moved then replanted; turf was quickly re-established in some areas and replaced with planting beds in others; the new gas line was even tunneled to avoid digging a trench in the front yard.

Modern Yankee Builders did all this - on top of the steps they took to make the addition durable and energy efficient. The structure is built with advanced framing on top of a thoroughly waterproofed ICF basement. To allow for the decorative rafters and sheathing inside the new space, and to create a good thermal break, XPS insulation was installed outside of the roof deck. The whole exterior got a well sealed drainage plane and air barrier. After that, Sleepers, CDX, a self adhesive water shield and 30 year asphalt shingles created a fully vented roof surface and hard-wearing FSC certified cedar shingles wrapped the walls. Joe’s dedication and attention to detail paid off. The homeowners got a place they can be proud of for years to come, with little added burden on the budget or the environment.

Team:
Builder: Joseph C. Cracco, Modern Yankee Builders
Architect/Designer: Katrin Boening and Sean Solley, Solleydesign

Specs:
Location: Barrington, RI
Completed:2007
Cost: $180,000 including site work and landscaping
Size: 635sq.ft.(275 sq.ft. room added to basement, 275sq.ft. 1st floor family room/mudroom, 85sq.ft. additional space added to existing 2nd floor office)

Construction:
Foundation type and R-value: ICF basement (R-22)
Wall construction and R-value: 2x6,24” o.c., XPS sandwiched within headers (R-10), fiberglass batts (R-19)
Windows: double glazed, low-E (R-2.9, SHGC - .29)
Roof construction and R-value : 2x6 T&G roof decking over exposed rafters, 4” XPS foam board with taped seams(R-24), 5/8” OSB sheathing and 2x sleepers over rigid foam

Energy specs:
Heating equipment: new hydronic baseboard tied into existing loops on each floor of house
Air conditioning: (only in existing top floor) variable speed air handler, condenser (13 SEER)

Water efficiency measures used in this project
- Reduced lawn area (less irrigation demand)

Energy efficiency measures used in this project
- Bank of windows providing ample daylighting and natural cooling
- ICF foundation
- Continuous XPS installed above roof decking (virtually no thermal bridging)
- Rigid foam insulation built into window and door headers
- Extremely thorough air sealing
- Electronic programmable thermostat
- Variable speed air handler with 13 SEER condenser

Green materials and/or resource efficiency used in this project
- Ensured durability through meticulous detailing of drainage and ventilation
- Sided with FSC certified cedar shingles
- Demolished foundation was ground into gravel for reuse
- Other construction debris was hauled to a regional recycling center with an 84% recovery rate

Indoor air quality measures used in this project
- Temporary filters covered HVAC returns during construction
- MERV 11 filters fitted to AC returns after construction was complete
- All materials kept dry during construction (just-in-time delivery, tarps above and below any stored lumber)
- Formaldehyde-free Advantech OSB subfloor

Lessons Learned:
Modern Yankee’s trek to the 2007 International Builders’ Show left them pleasantly surprised at how sustainable their standard practices already were. They still logged plenty of hours of research for this addition. This not only made the results better than the clients had asked for, but further integrated green concepts into Modern Yankee’s “business as usual”, proving that quality, affordability and sustainability can all go hand in hand.