Energy Efficiency Never Looked So Good

PRLog (Press Release) - Sep 09, 2009 -
Manchester, VT:  A summer drive through the bucolic country side of Southern Vermont brings you to a country lane nestled between the west branch of the famed Battenkill River and the Taconic Mountain range.  Here the architecture of the homes harkens back to a bygone era.  But wait, these are new homes!  For the unknowing, these homes look like they were pulled from picture books of the Nineteenth Century.  But the Greek revival at the end of the lane represents the latest in green technology.  This is the first of 9 homes that represent what Mark Breen, builder and Ramsay Gourd, architect comically refer to as Stealth Green.  

“White noise has been replaced by Green Noise.” asserts architect Ramsay Gourd.  “It’s hard to navigate through the labyrinth of allegedly sustainable choices.  To me, sustainable design boils down to three factors: Timeless design, energy efficiency, and durability of materials.  It seems that every time we see a new “green project” it looks as though it either landed here from another galaxy or has been stripped of all its character.  Our job here was to make beautiful, energy efficient homes that people would cherish for generations.”

According to Jeffrey Manney, Project Manager of Efficiency Vermont, “The new Battenkill Meadows homes in Manchester (VT) represent the very finest in thermal envelope efficiency and more.  I am very impressed with these homes and hope they represent the coming trend in the building industry as we move towards a greener and more sustainable energy future.”

Mark Breen and Ramsay Gourd carefully studied the materials available for green construction.  They did not want to sacrifice architecture in order to achieve energy efficiency. The result is a marriage of architecturally significant homes built with the utmost quality to a new standard of energy efficiency in Vermont.  Each home combines high performance building technology with traditional design to deliver optimum comfort at a reduced operating cost and minimal environmental impact.

Drawing from a pallet of Federal, Greek revival and late Nineteenth Century vernacular, each home is designed to complement the next and create a sense of history.  Careful attention has been given to building proportions and architectural detailing.  As a result these homes seamlessly fuse contemporary living with the context of a turn of the century village lane, nestled between the West Branch of the Battenkill River and 13 acres of preserved meadow.  Broad views across a half acre of ponds to the Taconic Range and Green Mountains complete the scene.  The location is within walking distance to local parks and charming downtown Manchester, Vermont.

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/10337001/1