This eco home is a modern lake house in Omena, Michigan; what started out as building a sustainable cottage on the lake, ended as a LEED Gold certificated home. The concept behind this house is that it should be worked and used as a tool; it is sustainable in energy and material use, engaging with the path of the sun and wind, while taking into account the way people live and interact throughout their daily lives.
This house features a couple of smart yet simple solutions, where heating and air conditioning are provided by the same system by using less energy. For example, instead of using radiant heat in the floors, interior space is heated via a ‘thermally active surface’, which is in fact hydronic tubes hanging from the ceiling; the smart thing about this technique is that it works both ways, so that running cold water through the same tubes can cool spaces during hot summers.
Windows are placed very specifically to take advantage of wind direction and lake breezes; three bedrooms, on the second floor, are facing east to take in the light of the morning sun; at noon, when the sun is in its highest point, rain screens protect the south side of the house, keeping it cool; public spaces like kitchen, dining and living rooms are located on the west side of the house, enabling dwellers to enjoy the end of their day while the sun sets.
Another smart solution is the NanaWall, formed by operable lightweight glass panels that divide the 800 sq. ft. deck from the living room; with the push of a hand the glass wall can be folded like an accordion to blend indoors and outdoors, while an automatic screen blocks out Michigan’s black flies.
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