Why it Matters: Habitability
The house should remain an excellent shelter in the case of an extended power disruption, as outlined in a LEED pilot credit on Resilience.
Zola Windows
Installing the windows correctly is critical to both the water management strategy and air tightness of the house.
Interior Construction
The house is coming together rapidly. With the exterior walls and roof complete, the interior is taking shape. It feels lovely: bright and open yet still intimate.
ICF walls & LiteDeck roof
These proved to be excellent choices for the air barrier, and were tight as a drum during the Blower Door Test.
Earth berming works
The tunnel links the house and the garage. On a January day, the tunnel tracked around 40 deg F — about the same as winter ground temperature, and significantly higher than the low-30’s outside temperature.
Windows In ICF Walls
Great care was taken in detailing the window to wall interface, and further refined during construction to maintain a continuous air barrier.
Net Zero Energy
The house will produce as much energy as it requires on an annual basis with on-site solar photovoltaic panels mounted to the roof. The house will be grid-tied: it will contribute back to the grid at some times, and draw from it at others.
Design + Construction
Peter Krebs (left image) and Carl Sterner (on left in right image) discuss the design process (theory) and how it was implemented in the field (practice).
Sefaira Methodology
Peter Krebs presenting the Sefaira methodology behind the design.
Why It Matters: Sustainability
The passive design results in more stable measures, meaning the house will need to supply very little additional energy to stay warm (and keep cool).
Integrated With The Land
The house is built into a south-facing hillside in an abandoned quarry, looking over a meadow to the south and a lake to the east.
On April 20, 2017, BEC-Iowa visited the Iowa Nest Residence in rural Iowa. The tour began with a presentation by Peter Krebs and Carl Sterner about the Sefaira methodology to design the house, followed by a site tour.
The Iowa Nest is a Net Zero Energy targeted residence in rural Iowa. It is designed to supply 100% of its energy needs; to be comfortable without conventional air conditioning; to fit into the landscape; to last for hundreds of years; and to do all of this on a conventional construction budget. Read more about the residence on the blog and follow the construction progress through the Live NestCam.