Realsmarthouse LLC

10/29/2021

Congratulations to the Groton Housing Authority for creating sustainable, affordable housing with passive solar, geothermal and solar electric!

Should this kind of development be on Stonington's horizon?

Groton — Two new energy-efficient, eight-unit apartment buildings have opened at the Pequot Village Housing Development,

02/10/2021

Sustainability takes many forms. What's yours?

We are now looking to the community for support and ideas on how to make Stonington more sustainable. What changes do you want to see happening in our town? Click here to add your ideas: https://stonington1649.com/sustainable-stonington

12/22/2019

10 months in one minute. We're done! The Completion Party on Wednesday was a time to reflect and congratulate. We've built a home that's net energy positive, looks great and will probably last a really long time.

01/24/2019

Playing with volumes and light as the sheetrock goes up. There was a leftover Pella window set, so decided to open up the second floor bathroom to the view South. The bedrooms upstairs enjoy reflected light from the cathedral ceiling.

01/21/2019

Thermomass at work. The inside air throughout the entire house is 55.4°F. The outside concrete wythe, 3" from the exterior surface, is 29°F. The inside concrete wythe is 53.6°F. The outside temperature is ... 2°F, with a "Feels like" of minus 14°F. Heat Supply is the sun, augmented with a small plug-in radiant heater for now.

12/19/2018

Letting the sun shine in — Waldo Renewable Electric designed and installed the 11.5Kw LG photovoltaic system, going live next week. Smart Thermal Solutions, LLC is finishing up the geothermal. Meantime, the sun warmed this passive solar design to a balmy 65° on this windy 30° day, thanks to Thermomass walls.

10/10/2018

Dirt, wood, steel. Progress!

09/18/2018

Master Mason Mike Pendola works the stone

07/13/2018

Getting into the details now. White beadboard ceilings above the Vermont Timber Frames, Inc trusses, local stone veneer (with moss still on it) and the future hearth, a massive slab of antique bluestone.

07/13/2018

CM John O'Keefe, Eddie White of Drexel Metals and Lead Carpenter John Bates get down on siding specs. "Barn Red" is a tough color to match on steel. The surprise winner: Terra Cotta from Drexel, sample here with a local barn painted in "Cape Cod Red."

06/20/2018

Bates Builders, John Hardy and crew get the envelope tightened up on this hyper-efficient, EnergyStar+, Passive Solar home.

05/22/2018

Installing trusses from Canam Steel for the garage green roof. John Bates, John Hardy and John O'Keefe.