Case
Study: Tedter Residence
Ross Tedter Architect
Project Goals
In 2001, the future owners of the Tedter Residence found a rare vacant lot in South Austin and took the opportunity to replace their small but inefficient North Austin home. From the start, they made a priority of incorporating green building practices into a design that complemented the character of the neighborhood. Another priority was to reduce reliance on private transportation by relocating closer to downtown and within walking distance of many other Austin amenities.
Tedter Residence
South Austin infill home |
5-Star |
September 2006 |
N/A |
Project Team |
Company Name |
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Architect |
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(512) 916-4241
Email Website
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Contractor |
Oliver Custom Homes |
(512) 250-5889
Email Website
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Subcontractor |
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(512) 834-0551
Email Website
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Other |
Air-Rite Air Conditioning and Heating |
(512) 288-2243
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Other |
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(512) 443-3938 (h)
(512) 554-9954 (c) |
Other |
Eco-wise |
(512) 326-4496
Email Website |
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Project Description
The Tedter Residence embodies the philosophy of green building. It is an energy-efficient, healthy, and durable house that requires minimal maintenance. From the choice of location, to the use of the latest building technologies and sustainable construction materials, the Tedter Residence demonstrates that green homes are comfortable and pleasant to live in.
Built on a small urban infill lot, the Texas Bungalow Revival style features a steep-pitched “kicked” roof with bold limestone, brick masonry, and narrow horizontal siding, yet has a modern, open floor plan. One advantage of the site is the shared driveway on the west side. This allows for a detached garage at the rear of the narrow lot, without exceeding the impervious cover limit.
The compact one-and-a-half story home has three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, all fitting comfortably in 1,712 square feet. A downstairs home office also functions as a spare bedroom, with a guest bedroom/office and bathroom upstairs tucked under the high-pitched roof. Passive solar design techniques help create a house that is appropriate for Texas’ hot, humid climate—they help keep it cool and reduce energy use.
The Tedter Residence earned 207 points on the Austin Energy Green Building™ Single-Family Rating, making it the ninth highest rated home at that time. It appeared in the 2007 Annual Cool House Tour.
Project Results
The Tedter Residence passed all the testing requirements for its 5-star Austin Energy Green Building rating. It passed the blower door test with 0.21 Air Changes per Hour out of the allowed 0.5. It passed the duct blower test—although the test was not required, since the duct system is entirely within the insulated envelope—with under the allowed 10%. The homeowner’s utility bills have not increased, even though the living area is nearly double that of their previous home.
Project Features
| Energy:
- Generous front and rear porches
- Limited attic space
- Wide roof overhangs
- Reduced west side windows
- 15.0 SEER cooling equipment centrally located and within insulated envelope
- 685 square feet of living space per ton of cooling
- 92% efficient sealed-combustion furnace
- Dampered fresh air ducts, sheet metal primary ducts
- Programmable thermostat
- Direct vented, tank-less water heater on exterior wall
- Energy Star appliances
- CFL bulbs throughout
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| Materials:
- Total-fill, low-off-gassing urethane foam insulation in walls and on roof deck of unvented attic
- Insulated, low-emissive operable wood windows
- Pre-engineered wood floor and roof trusses with no lumber larger than 2x8
- Cork kitchen floor, engineered oak floors, and a small area of carpet made from recycled plastic
- Recycled construction waste
- Fiber cement board siding, trim, and soffits
- MDF interior trim and casings
- 30% fly ash concrete
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| Water:
- Landscaping qualified for the Austin WaterWise Landscape Rebate Program with a minimum of 90% of new plants selected from the Grow Green Plant List
- Planting beds and turf-grass areas have minimum 50% Dillo Dirt mix
- 2” thick hardwood mulch in planting beds
- Limited area of low-water approved turf-grass, no irrigation system
- High-efficiency washer
- Water heater located near fixtures
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| Health and Safety:
- 7” thick pleated-media return-air filter
- All hard-surface finishes on first floor
- Exhaust fans with timer switches
- No VOC interior paint
- Water-based cabinet finishes
- Detached garage eliminates hazardous vapors in house
- Borate treatment at first floor wood studs
- Termite protection at slab penetrations
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| Community:
- Large front porch
- Rear entrance meets Austin Visitability Ordinance requirements
- Existing utilities and infrastructure
- Public transit, restaurants, parks and trails nearby
- Existing trees protected during construction
- On-site composting bin
- Owners participate in Austin Energy Green Choice Program
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