DOE Tour of Zero: The Shore Road Project by Murphy Brothers Contracting
Photos
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This is a certified U.S. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home that is architecturally integrated with its colonial neighbors in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, but not their high utility bills. The owners of this home will pay about $100 per month for heating and cooling.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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This 4,100-square-foot home achieved a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 27, far better than the typical HERS 100 score achieved by most minimum-code homes.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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In addition to the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, this home has earned certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR and Indoor airPLUS programs.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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This home has a solar electric system with roof-integrated solar shingles.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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The combination of high-performance insulation, a high-efficiency comfort system, ENERGY STAR certified components, and a solar electric system is expected to save the homeowners more than $1,300 per year in energy costs.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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Certified low- and no-VOC finishes contribute to a healthful indoor environment.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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An on-demand hot water pump saves water and energy while reducing the wait for hot water to fixtures.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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High efficiency is built into the Murphy Brothers home from the ground up, starting with a foundation floor water barrier of 10-millimeter plastic laid over 5 inches of crushed rock. A 5-inch-thick layer of high-density closed-cell spray foam is sprayed over the vapor barrier and leveled to provide a continuous thermal blanket under the basement floor slab.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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The ultra-efficient wall insulation consists of insulated concrete form (ICF) construction where rigid foam blocks have steel-reinforcing added and are then filled with concrete. The resulting walls are resistant to severe weather, hurricane, and pests.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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Insulated concrete form (ICF) wall construction provides a continuous thermal blanket with 13-inch-thick basement walls and 11-inch-thick above-ground walls.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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Energy efficiency experts from DOE’s Building America program helped the builder choose high-efficiency design options and technologies to make the home ultra-efficient.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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A wall water barrier consisting of house wrap was installed on the wood-framed garage walls but not needed on the main house where the insulated concrete form blocks were glued to create the wall water-barrier.
Photo courtesy of Murphy Brothers Contracting
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A 4.5-kW solar electric system was installed with roof-integrated solar electric shingles that keep a lower profile than raised panels.