BarlisWedlick completes passive house renovation in upstate new york

BarlisWedlick completes first passive house retrofit

BarlisWedlick has reduced a home’s energy consumption by 77% as part of a passive house retrofit in pound ridge, new york. the original residence was first built in the 1980s using structural insulated panels (SIPs) over a timber frame structure. the brief was to bring the dwelling up to today’s energy efficient standards and reconfigure the interior layout to better cater to the growing family that has lived there since the late 1990s.

images by neil landino

implementing sustainable strategies

for this renovation, BarlisWedlick followed the EnerPHit standard issued by the passivhaus institute. while respecting the existing timber structure, the architects added a new highly insulated envelope with new hardwood rainscreen siding and replaced the old openings with airtight triple-pane insulated windows and exterior doors.

the passive house retrofit also included treating the roof from the inside with critical airtight connections and integrating solar PV panels and a backup battery system to strive toward the owners’ desire to be net-zero. the foundation walls were insulated by way of excavation, and special attention was paid towards air sealing the home’s chimneys and three fireplaces—as well as a dutch oven originally used for cooking.

the house is situated in upstate new york

reconfiguring the interiors

for the interiors, BarlisWedlick collaborated with olson // twombly to rethink the 808 sqm (8,694 sqft) home. the family’s typical daily entry path through the garage was highlighted with a re-designed opened mudroom, connecting the new front porch to the rear porch, without sacrificing storage space. a daily workspace is also included in the mudroom.

the front entry is open to the rest of the home and is highlighted with a new staircase clad with the same materials as the staircase to the third-floor family room. this continuity serves to visually connect the first through third floors effectively enlarging the home’s perceived space. the redesigned kitchen accommodates the family’s love of cooking and is laid out to provide protected workspaces allowing guests to stay connected, while large southern windows increase the light flow throughout.

a new staircase has been added to the front entrance

the house was first built in the 1980s

the kitchen was redesigned to accommodate the family’s love of cooking

BarlisWedlick respected the original timber structure

existing windows were upgraded with triple glazing

special attention was paid towards air sealing the home’s chimneys and three fireplaces

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project info:

location: pound ridge, NY, US
architecture: BarlisWedlick
interior designer: olson // twombly
construction manager: cornerstone contracting
passive house consultant: bldg typ
structural engineer: proper o’leary engineering
solar paneling: sunrise solar