Integrating modern insulation and energy systems into an old house.

Maricè Chael and Victor Dover wed preservation and sustainability in their LEED Gold renovation of a 1926 cottage in South Miami, Florida. The goal was to make the home more functional, energy efficient, and environmentally responsible. The challenge was to make the improvements consistent with the character of the neighborhood they love. Although the modest cottage doubled in size, the addition's physical and visual impact was carefully kept to a minimum.

Old styling meets new materials

Creative choices played a big part in the look and performance of this house. The well placed, traditional looking casement windows allow cross-ventilation when open, but their low-e coating blocks the heat during the summer, when AC is needed.

The roof tiles look old-fashioned but are made of plastic scraps from car-bumper and baby-diaper production. Oolitic limestone, which was excavated during construction, was used as a retaining wall in the garden. The drought-tolerant garden is fed with rainwater collected in recycled bourbon barrels.

Spray foam, solar, and SIPs make an efficient home

Integrating modern insulation and energy systems into an old house took a lot of thought and hard work. Closed-cell foam blocks moisture, and makes an airtight barrier. Installers had to shimmy through the tight crawlspace to reach every nook and cranny. A new rooftop solar hot-water collector is mounted out of sight to maintain the historic look of the house.

Similar details in the new addition were addressed more easily. The Structural-Insulated-Panel roof covered a rustic-wood cathedral ceiling, and a loft with a parapet concealed HVAC components. In the end, the place still felt like the quaint cottage that Maricè and Victor fell in love with years ago. All you have to do to really see the changes is look at the new utility bills.

Lessons Learned

Though this renovation was approached with clear green goals in mind, a few issues came to light late in the project that emphasized the importance of using an integrated design strategy when building sustainable homes. "We wished we could have had a backup water system," said project manager Anthony Garcia, but the small site made it difficult to add storage tanks after construction had started. A creative compromise was the use of recycled bourbon barrels to collect rain for watering the garden.

With cathedral ceilings and a shallow crawlspace providing very little extra space, it was equally challenging to install mechanical systems. This was cleverly addressed by hiding HVAC components behind a parapet over the master bathroom.