Needham Net Zero

After a major renovation and addition, this former Cape style home has been expanded with a new fresh contemporary look and a deep energy retrofit. The traditional half story on the second level has been converted to a full second floor. The introduction of a two story living space provides much needed relief from the lower ceiling height of the first floor. The elongated and increased south-facing windows help to passively heat the home and bring daylight deep into the space. Above the garage, a wide-open space accommodates a home photography studio and doubles as an event space.

  • INDOOR SPACES. The house, built in the early 1950s with small dark rooms and low ceiling heights, had few updates since its original construction. The home now includes an open floor plan, improved daylighting, and a bright kitchen that opens to the main living area with a cathedralized ceiling.

    INSULATION. This deep energy retrofit includes a super-insulation strategy combined with aggressive air sealing, high efficiency air source heat pumps, heat recovery ventilation, and 8 kW of PV. The resulting home yields exceptional energy performance with a HERS index of 12, making it roughly 88% more efficient than a new code-built home.

    NET POSITIVE ENERGY.  As with any home or building, actual energy consumption is partially dependent upon occupant behavior. In this case, the energy performance is exceptional - slightly better than net zero - achieving 85kWh of net positive energy annually for an EUI of -0.1 kBtu/sf/yr.

Location: Needham, Massachusetts

Services:
Custom Home Design

Design:
Square Footage: 3,100
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 1.5

Energy, Carbon and Health:

EUI: -0.1kBtu/sf/yr

Cellulose and continuous rigid insulation, Air source heat pumps, ducted & ductless, Heat recovery, Electric resistance, Fresh air ventilation system with energy recovery, No VOC materials.

Awards:

Silver PRISM Award

Press:

The Improper Bostonian

Project Team:

Architecture & Mechanical Design: ZED

Photography: Eric Roth Photography

A modern two-story house with blue siding and large white-framed windows. The roof has solar panels installed. There are trees in the front, with some having green leaves and others with no leaves, indicating a fall or winter setting. The house has a
A blue two-story house with white trim, surrounded by trees with fall foliage, and a clear blue sky in the background.
Bright living room with large floor-to-ceiling windows, a modern black chair, a small coffee table, and a wall-mounted abstract painting.
Kitchen with light wood cabinets, white countertops, and a small breakfast bar. There are two white chairs at the bar, a bowl of lemons, and a vase of sunflowers near a large window looking outside at a sunny yard with trees.
Bright, open kitchen with wooden cabinets, a white countertop, and large windows allowing natural light. A vase with sunflowers and a few decor items are on the counter. At the end of the kitchen, there's a small dining or sitting area with chairs an
Bright living room with large windows, a teal accent wall with modern art, a wooden coffee table, and a black lounge chair. Sunlight casts shadows inside.
Front view of an old blue house with red shutters, a chimney, and a large leafless tree in front. The house has a small porch with steps leading to the door, and the yard is covered in fallen leaves. The sky is partly cloudy.
A house under construction with wooden framing on the upper level, a black exterior, and some construction materials and a portable toilet in front.
A house under construction with siding partly installed, a black pickup truck parked in front, a blue portable toilet to the left, and a large leafless tree nearby. Other parked cars are visible in the background.