Renovation: Architectural Design
Strawberry Hill Road: Falmouth, MA

“Building Envelope” Design

Our objective was to improve functionality, increase energy efficiency and comfort, lower the operating costs, and extend the life of this house constructed in 1976 on Cape Cod, MA.

The strategies INTEGRATA employed focused on the building envelope design, specifically, proper insulation and air sealing and a new high efficiency mechanical system.

The building envelope design was the most critical factor in enabling us to achieve a high performance rating. Among the noteworthy features are:

Increased insulation levels to exceed those required by building codes
The elimination of thermal bridging between the interior and exterior spaces which accounted for roughly a ≈25% increase in overall insulation effectiveness
A carefully detailed drainage plane which controls the movement of rainwater away from the building's wood frame
A nearly air-tight building shell

The original 1976 gas furnace and 12-year-old hot water heater were replaced with a new high efficiency gas boiler and indirect fired hot water heater.

A hydronic radiant floor was installed in all new and renovated rooms. It will require a lower boiler water temperature than other mechanical heating systems and will be more cost effective to operate.

The old air handlers and air conditioning condenser were replaced with new and more energy efficient units.

A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) was installed to provide fresh air when needed, exhaust stale air, and maintain a healthy level of air changes per hour (ACH).

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