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    CO Adaptive overhauls Queens home to meet Passive House standards

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    Brooklyn studio CO Adaptive has retrofitted a terraced house in Queens, New York to meet Passive House energy efficiency standards.

    The 1,152-square-foot (107-square-metre) brick townhouse was originally built in 1945 and has undergone a considered “deconstruction” process during its recent renovation.
    Throughout the home, CO Adaptive removed perimeter flooring to install a membrane, then replaced it with reclaimed boards at an angleRather than throwing out the contents of the existing structure, all of the removed materials were separated by type and sent to new homes.
    The renovation work revolved around the goal of the unit becoming a Passive House – or Passivhaus – a certification that recognises outstanding energy efficiency in buildings.
    The kitchen was fully replaced using maple-faced plywood for millworkThis is the first project undertaken by CO Adaptive Architecture’s construction management arm, CO Adaptive Building.

    “We believe building to Passive House standards is the future of ensuring resilience for our cities, particularly in the restoration and upgrade of the older building stock,” said CO Adaptive co-principal Ruth Mandl.
    “We want to work on simplifying and scaling this endeavor; ideally ensuring that we can bring the cost down on Passive House for our clients, and make it a solution that is more affordable and available.”
    Counters and backsplash are made from blue porcelain with coloured specklesChanges to the layout of the compact two-storey, three-bedroom home were kept to a minimum since the room program was already efficient.
    The perimeter of the existing wood floors and subfloors was removed, enabling the team to install an airtight membrane that seals the wood joists – which were in good condition – to prevent heat loss.
    Bright blue was chosen for new window and door framesWhere the flooring was removed, reclaimed red oak planks that matched the originals were laid at an angle to highlight the minor intervention.
    Larger windows were added to bring more light into the dining room, which overlooks a new rear deck.
    Upstairs, features include a built-in ladder that provides roof access via a skylightThe home was refitted to be fully electrified, powered by a solar canopy from Brooklyn Solarworks on the roof, and is now net positive, according to the studio.
    “The solar array provides more than enough energy to cover the significantly reduced heating and cooling loads of the building, in addition to heating water, cooking with an induction stovetop and charging an electric vehicle,” said CO Adaptive.
    Through-wall AC units were replaced with an energy-recovery ventilator systemAny holes in the exterior previously used for through-wall air conditioning units are now occupied by an energy recovery ventilator system, which helps to control the interior humidity.
    All changes to the facade are denoted by a checkerboard brick infill pattern, similar to the approach taken inside.
    Black-and-white details, such as the bathroom tiles and fixtures enliven the minimal interiorsSouth-facing openings are shaded by Hella operable Venetian blinds, coloured bright blue to match the new window frames.
    Natural materials were prioritised inside, such as a lime and sand-based plaster layer that allows the masonry walls to breathe.

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    The kitchen millwork is maple-faced plywood, while the countertops and the backsplash are blue porcelain with coloured speckles.
    The red kitchen floor is made of solidified linseed oil, pine resin and sawdust, which forms a natural linoleum that’s soft underfoot.
    On the south-facing front of the house, openings are shaded by Hella operable Venetian blindsOther details include a ladder built into the wall on the upper-floor landing that provides access to the roof via a skylight.
    “This project prioritises careful deconstruction rather than demolition, to ensure that whatever is removed is either reused or sorted for down or up cycling,” said CO Adaptive co-principal Bobby Johnston.
    A solar array added to the roof provides more energy than the house needs to runAmong the firm’s previous renovations is an industrial building in Gowanus converted into bright and spacious theatre rehearsal spaces, which was shortlisted in the rebirth project category of Dezeen Awards 2022.
    Passivhaus is a popular standard for achieving energy efficiency in residential and other buildings, with other recent examples to have achieved this certification including a stucco-clad, cube-shaped holiday home in Mexico, and a house in the UK with an undulating green roof and timber cladding.
    The photography is by Naho Kubota.
    Project credits:
    Architect: CO Adaptive ArchitectureConstruction management: CO Adaptive BuildingMEPS engineers: ABS EngineeringStructural engineers: ADoF Structural EngineersConstruction manager: CO Adaptive BuildingSolar panel installation: Brooklyn SolarWorksKitchen millwork: ArmadaWood flooring, stair and other millwork: Trilox

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      Sarah Jefferys creates Passive House in Brooklyn with dramatic cedar screen

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      American studio Sarah Jefferys Architecture + Interiors has renovated a slender townhouse in Brooklyn with airy rooms and a cedar screen on the facade to meet Passive House standards.

      Located in the Park Slope neighbourhood, the Passive House project involved the overhaul of a brick-faced, three-storey townhouse built in 1921 and owned by a family of four.
      Sarah Jefferys Architecture + Interiors remodelled a Brooklyn townhouse into a passive houseNew York-based Sarah Jefferys Architecture + Interiors sought to create a tranquil living atmosphere with elements that pay homage to the family’s Indian and Danish roots.
      Moreover, the team wanted the 3,000-square-foot (279-square-metre) building to align with Passive House standards for energy efficiency.
      High-quality windows were installedTo significantly reduce heating and cooling needs, the team installed triple-pane Zola windows, which are often used in passive houses. Walls were reconstructed to create an airtight envelope, which included the addition of cellulose insulation.

      The team also added an electric heat pump and an energy recovery ventilator, which helps purify the air.
      The front facade was kept intact and refurbished, while the rear wall was redesigned to add ample glazing. To provide privacy and to modulate incoming daylight, the team added an artful cedar screen that acts as both “a sculpture and a veil”.
      White oak was used to complement the bright coloursWithin the slender home, the team incorporated pops of colour and pale materials such as white oak.
      “We strategically used light hues and reflective materials, and created an airy environment to offset the narrow footprint of the townhouse,” the team said.
      The ground level has an open plan and holds the communal spaces.
      Reflective and light materials helped the studio meet environmental standardsUp front is the living room, where one finds a blue Living Divani sofa, rattan chairs from Fritz Hansen and a Muuto table.
      A wood-burning fireplace, an element not often found in passive homes, sits between the living and dining areas.
      To curb emissions from the hearth, the architects added a triple-pane glass enclosure and an extraction fan with an insulated cap. Still, because of the fireplace, the home does not fully meet the PHIUS certification requirements, the architect said.
      The all-white dining room is furnished with Ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen and a PH50 pendant by Poul Henningsen. Just beyond is the “showpiece kitchen”, which is framed with an LED light cove.
      The staircase has a skylight above”The light cove acts as a separation point – an outline – and provides an atmospheric glow throughout the kitchen,” the team said.
      In addition to the special lighting, the kitchen features slatted wooden cabinetry, yellow pendants by Louis Poulsen, and an island topped with Glassos crystallized glass.
      Part of the island consists of a live-sawn slab of white oak, which is lined with bar stools.
      The living room features a Muuto table”The beautiful juxtaposition between Glassos and white oak exemplifies the nature of the kitchen as both a practical work area and a leisurely lounge space for entertaining,” the team said.
      A sky-lit staircase leads to the upper levels. The first floor holds the main bedroom and bathroom, along with an office – all of which are arrayed along a corridor lined with frosted glass.

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      The main bedroom features a BoConcept bed, sconces by Robert Dudley Best for Bestlite and a graphic blanket by Pia Wallén for HAY. The bathroom is adorned with matte glass and penny-round tiles from Ann Sacks.
      The office is infused with a “touch of nostalgia”. Pieces include a Hans Wegner armchair, a teak Danish dresser and a 1962 copper pendant by Jo Hammerborg.
      Bright colours were used throughoutThe top level contains a den and two additional bedrooms. The house also has a cellar.
      Other Brooklyn townhouses include a house by Space4Architecture that has a skylit staircase and minimalist decor, and the family home of architects Fanny and Matthew Mueller, which features floating steps and a wood-and-steel bridge.
      The photography is by Morten Smidt.

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      The Brooklyn Home Company designs Passivhaus in Brooklyn

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      American studio The Brooklyn Home Company has designed a Brooklyn townhouse using Passivhaus principles in New York’s Carroll Gardens neighbourhood.The Sackett Street townhouse comprises four storeys as well as a rooftop with views of the Manhattan skyline, along with a basement and a drive-in garage.

      The four-storey townhouse has views of the Manhattan skyline
      Stairs from an outside decking area lead to a back garden, and a private terrace is accessed from the main bedroom.
      Passivhaus is a recognised European energy standard for homes that require minimal energy to heat or cool and promote high indoor air quality.

      The Sackett Street townhouse’s back garden

      For the townhouse project, The Brooklyn Home Company used an energy recovery ventilation (ERV) filtration system.
      “The air quality brings health and cognitive benefits that the developer believes will become the new standard for home building in New York City,” co-founder of The Brooklyn Home Company William Caleo told Dezeen.
      “The homes also maintain humidity levels to prevent virus spread, which is common in both dry and cold weather. In short, our opinion is it’s the best way to build new homes,” he said.

      A living room leads to the back garden
      Adopting Passivhaus principles addresses two of society’s greatest threats, argued William Caleo.
      “As society grapples with not only the current public-health crisis but the reality of climate change, builders and home designers are using Passivhaus design as an alternative technique in the wake of Covid-19.”

      The house’s walls are painted in white Farrow and Ball paint
      William Caleo and his sister Lyndsay Caleo Karol worked closely with his sister’s husband, Fitzhugh Karol, the studio’s in-house artist, to design the interiors.
      Madera white oak hardwood floors and walls painted with white Farrow and Ball paint were chosen to create a “bright and airy” home.

      A hand-crafted bed by Fitzhugh Karol in the main bedroom
      Hand-crafted pieces of furniture designed by Fitzhugh Karol include the wooden four-poster bed in the main bedroom.

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      Other one-of-a-kind pieces include a bespoke dining table and a dresser, and the elegant twin beds in the children’s room were also made bespoke for the property.

      The twin beds in the children’s bedroom were made especially for the house
      The townhouse’s open-plan kitchen is a mixture of exposed beams and custom built-in wood, also designed by Fitzhugh Karol. A reclaimed ceiling by The Brooklyn Home Company hangs overhead.
      These rustic features are offset with sleek Pietra Cardosa countertops and a range cooker by La Cornue. Hardware fixtures by Waterworks and Restoration Hardware tie the space together.

      The property’s kitchen is a mix of rustic and polished features
      Selected artwork is also integral to the townhouse’s interior atmosphere. A notable piece is Tyler Hays of BDDW’s painting of a woman, made of puzzle pieces, which hangs in the dining room.
      Artistworks by Jen Wink Hays, Paule Morrot and Caleb Marcus Cain also decorate townhouse’s light and open rooms.

      Artist Tyler Hays’ puzzle painting adds depth to the dining room’s white walls
      The Brooklyn Home Company has recently launched 25 new homes also built according to Passivhaus principles across two Brooklyn developments in South Slope and Greenwood Heights.

      More Passivhaus projects outside of Europe include the upcoming 1075 Nelson Street skyscraper in Vancouver, designed by UK studio WKK Architects. When completed, it will be the world’s tallest Passivhaus building to date.
      Photography is by Matthew Williams and Travis Mark.

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