User:Lcb30075/Ross Street House

The Ross Street House is the first LEED Platinum home in Wisconsin. Designed by architect Carol Richard of the Atlanta based firm, Richard Wittschiebe Hand.

History
The Ross Street House was designed by architect Carol Richard and her husband, Fred Berg, a retired mechanical engineer. The couple moved to Madison, Wisconsin from Atlanta, Georgia in 2009 and built this LEED for Homes Platinum rated residence with the local contractor, Yahara Builders. The home is the first residence in Wisconsin to achieve a Platinum rating, the highest level achievement in the LEED for Homes rating system.

LEED for Homes Rating System
The United States Green Building Council is a non-profit organization that has established criteria and rating systems for sustainable buildings. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating systems are used nationally by the architecture and construction industry. LEED for Homes is the rating system for residential projects and has four levels of achievement including Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The Ross House received the LEED for Home Platinum rating. The home received a Platinum rating in July 2009.

The House

 * 2,700 square feet


 * $500,000 construction budget


 * main exterior feature is a large south-facing window with sunscreens that allow generous daylight in Madison’s cold winter months and limit the amount of sun in the summer


 * primary exterior materials are 6” tongue and groove cedar siding and a metal roof


 * to create a healthy indoor environment, volatile organic compound (VOC)-free paints and adhesives were used to limit the unhealthy off-gassing commonly found in conventional homes


 * flooring materials include locally harvested Maple flooring


 * water conservation efforts inside include dual-flush toilets, low-flow faucets, and a tankless water heater


 * designed to minimize air infiltration to less than 1 air change per hour through the incorporation of spray foam insulation and careful sealing of all doors and windows


 * forced ventilation was used to provide healthy indoor air quality and is accomplished by using an energy recovery ventilation system and incorporates a 3-stage high efficiency furnace


 * outdoor features reduce water usage through the incorporation of all native perennial plants and no turf grasses


 * a rainwater collection and retention system below the back porch stores 650-gallons of water for irrigation and exterior house maintenance


 * a rain garden was incorporated to eliminate runoff from neighboring properties


 * pervious paving and limited impervious hardscaping for the driveway and pathways


 * a detached garage is topped with solar panels which generate enough electricity to offset more than half of the annual demand