Artist Warehouse / Loft / Gallery

The Artist Warehouse/Loft/Gallery is a multi-use 30,000sf building aligned with the Passive House EnerPHit standard.  ZeroEnergy Design provided Passive House Energy Consulting and Mechanical Design services for Paul A. Castrucci Architect, to convert a turn of the century industrial factory space into a super-insulated workspace, living space, and gallery for an artist couple. 

  • Walls/Roof/Foundation

    Walls: Rockwool rigid & batt
    Roof: Rigid polyiso & rockwool batt
    Slab: Rigid polyiso on top

    Window/Door Values

    U Value: 0.15

    Insulation Values

    R30 Walls
    R50 Roof

  • Heating

    Air Source Heat Pumps

    Ventilation

    ERVs

    Hot Water

    Point of Use Electric Heaters

Cars parked in front of a brick building with several windows and a stone foundation; solar panels are visible on the roof.
Modern interior staircase with wooden steps and metal railings in a minimalistic space with wooden flooring.

  • Goal.  Convert an expansive old, cold, brick building in Yonkers, New York, into a bright, thermally comfortable live/work space with little to no operational carbon footprint. 

    Solution.  The super-insulated air tight building enclosure was achieved with exceptional air sealing and adding 4 inches of polyisocyanurate to an uninsulated brick wall, which provides continuous insulation and yields R-26. An R-50 roof assembly combines mineral wool in the cavity and 6” continuous rigid insulation on top of the roof deck. High performance U-0.15 triple pane windows and skylights offer a SHGC-glass of 0.50 to capture the sun's energy. Sawtooth clerestory windows were added to provide interior daylighting.

    Systems.  Air source heat pumps provide space conditioning, including heating, cooling, and dehumidification. Energy recovery ventilators complete the package with highly efficient ventilation and energy recovery.

    Renewables.  On the roof a grid tied 45kW photovoltaic system turns the electric meter backwards to offset energy consumption.

Location: Yonkers, New York

Services:
Energy Consulting

Standards Targeted:

Passive House EnerPHit

Project Team:

Architecture: Paul A. Castrucci Architect

Passive House Modeling, Building Envelope Consulting & Mechanical Consultant: ZED

A brick building with green painted base, black windows, metal stairs, and parked cars in front.
Empty room with light-colored wooden floor, white walls, three windows, exposed ceiling beams, and track lighting.
Empty white gallery or exhibition space with high ceilings, large windows, and overhead lighting.
Several people, including one wearing a yellow safety helmet, stand by solar panels mounted on a roof, with a cloudy sky overhead.
Interior of an art gallery with white walls, concrete floors, and a ceiling with exposed wooden beams and spotlights, featuring a large window or door with frosted glass and a small door beside it.
Empty industrial or commercial space with high ceilings, concrete floors, and large windows. Three people are gathered in the middle, and construction materials and equipment are scattered around.
View of a building rooftop with three skylights and surrounding railings, with a residential neighborhood and cloudy sky in the background.