FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In
Through the Lens

Modern Passive House in the Vermont Wilderness

An architect builds a new energy-efficient home with plans to live simply on the land, paying homage to the farmstead that once stood on the site.

By Susan Teare
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

The site for this Passive House was first discovered by the architect while he was hunting grouse with his Springer Spaniel. The area was covered in overgrown fields, crumbling foundations, and collapsed structures, the last remains from a deteriorating Vermont farm. The architect had a vision to build a home to connect the inhabitants back to the land, closer to the way their predecessors had lived on the property years before.

He did so by building a Passive House (PHIUS certified), a structure that has a reduced ecological footprint, particularly due to extremely low energy demands for heating and cooling. The house is specifically angled to receive the most solar energy during the day. The structure is also heated by the occupants, appliances, and a cold-climate heat pump for high efficiency.

The materials used in the Passive House also contribute to its minimal environmental impact. The envelope design of the house–thick walls with using cellulose insulation over spray foam–retains much of the solar energy collection during sunny days. The house also utilizes UPVC triple pane windows and doors for maximum efficiency. The siding is unfinished Eastern Hemlock, locally sourced from an old barn, over a fully vented rain screen. The old boards will weather to a silver grey and require minimal maintenance. Like the old barns of New England, this home was built to last generations. Fragments of the old stone wall borders and foundations were preserved and integrated into the site as landscape features connecting the past and present. The new structure is integrated into the landscape seamlessly with its placement in the open field that transitions to the old orchard and deep woods.

“The people that eked out a living on this primitive hill farm were resourceful and wasted nothing.  Their efforts forged a vernacular aesthetic unique to Vermont. Today we also hope to live with the environment and enjoy its beauty and the way of life it offers…..and we do this thinking the way they thought, but not building what they did.”

 

Architect: Studio III Architecture, Gregor Masefield

Builder: Silver Maple Construction

 

 

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

View Comments

  1. BGodfrey | Jan 06, 2020 04:18pm | #1

    So here's a question: a flat roof in Vermont would tend to accumulate snow while a sloped roof would allow it to slide off. So do you have to make the flat roof a lot sturdier? And if so, which roof type would end up requiring less material?

  2. accentcreate | Jan 06, 2020 06:15pm | #2

    Another boring shoebox. Why?

    1. cdeo | Feb 27, 2021 06:05pm | #7

      Interesting, I love shoe boxes. (Although, I do prefer a shoe box with a pitched roof.)

  3. user-3976312 | Jan 07, 2020 08:09pm | #3

    This has a lot more to do with the architect than the old farm or Vermont. Credit for having the best intentions and putting the effort towards energy efficiency, and I understand that you can't get much more efficient than a square box. But unless he spent a lot for a seamed copper roof that rubber on top isn't going to last the way a simple pitched roof with metal roofing would.

  4. reberthill | Jan 20, 2020 05:34am | #4

    Absolutely great job

  5. fredalong | Jan 23, 2020 06:27am | #5

    I love this post! great information.

  6. leoramos10 | Jan 24, 2020 02:37am | #6

    Good job!

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

More Through the Lens

View All
  • Balancing the Elements
  • Lakefront Dream
  • Classic Design With a Modern Twist
  • Modern Passive House in the Vermont Wilderness
View All

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Podcast Episode 685: Patching Drywall, Adding Air Barriers, and Rotted Walls

Listeners write in about running a profitable contracting business and ask questions about patching drywall, adding air barriers, and fixing a patio poured against the house.

Featured Video

Builder’s Advocate: An Interview With Viewrail

Learn more about affordable, modern floating stairs, from design to manufacturing to installation.

Related Stories

  • The Trump Administration Wants to Eliminate the Energy Star Program
  • The Unabashed Maximalist
  • A 1980s Condo Goes Retro Vintage
  • Beat the Heat: Cool Innovations

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Video

View All Videos
  • FHB Podcast Segment: A Homemade Radiant Heat Floor Assembly
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Can a Pretty Good House Have a Fireplace?
  • Building a Detached Shop with Full Utilities and HVAC
  • Interior and Exterior Finishing Details for a 1950s Ranch-Style Home
View All

Energy Efficiency

View All Energy Efficiency Articles
  • The Trump Administration Wants to Eliminate the Energy Star Program
  • Preserving a Greek Revival Farmhouse
  • Strategies for Making an Old House Airtight
View All Energy Efficiency Articles

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers
  • Issue 327 - November 2024
    • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
    • Plumbing Protection
    • Talking Shop

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

This is your last free article.

Don't miss another expert tip or technique from building pros. Start your free trial today.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data