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Vermont Super-insulated Ski Home
This is a second home in Vermont in an area with many over-sized inefficient ski homes. We designed the home to be very low maintenence inside and out as well as maintain a comfortable temperature with no active heating nearly to Passive House levels of insulation and air sealing. The shell is constructed with structural SIP panels, clad in standing seam and local green hemlock rain screen siding. The windows are triple glazed from Europe, The fireplace is a sealed combustion two sided unit also from Europe. The kitchen is Ikea with concrete countertops.
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Robert, Please enlighten, what fireplace features made you choose the expense of European- made ?
As well what features of windows made you choose European made vs. USA choices available?
Looking for construction choices in the near future.
Thanks in advance for your input.
Hi Lynn, did not see your comment before. The client (who was European) wanted a potentially net zero house that would require very little maintenance and would stay warm even in the middle of the winter during a power outage. The triple glazed windows make most American made windows feel flimsy and cheap. They have a higher solar heat gain for passive solar heating and are comfy to sit next to on the coldest winter nights. American window manufactures are slowly catching up. The fireplace was entirely the clients doing. He wanted something air-tight and double sided so he went looking and found this one.