Case Study: Black Residence
Rick Black Architect

Project Goals
The project team began working with the Green Building program early on in the design process, so achieving the 5-star rating was a goal from the beginning. The consumption and expenditure of energy was a primary concern. The home's design allows shielding from the sun where necessary and encourages natural ventilation. Trees were protected on site to provide shade for the southern exposure. To minimize material usage and labor, the building massing and envelope is simplified.

Project Name/Location	Rating	Completion Date	Cost/ft2 (excludes land)
Black Residence Central Austin infill home	5-Star	September 2004	$160

Project Description
This 980 square foot home is located on a triangular half-lot in a central Austin neighborhood, so the footprint is tightly governed by building setbacks. More importantly, the size of the house is a response to the necessity of building well and affordably.

The house is organized to be intimate and comfortable for people, but with a sense of expanding space both inside and out. The main exposure of the house opens to the north, thus allowing ample and soft daylight into the more public spaces of the house. A porch on the upper level achieves some privacy yet enjoys a beautiful view of the small neighborhood park across the street. The living, dining, kitchen, and study are downstairs, and the upper level is designated as the master suite - a generous arrangement for such a small footprint.

This is an example of an urban infill project: in a neighborhood that supports densification, the house occupies a small piece of land that was previously undeveloped. Square footage and land space are gladly sacrificed for the proximity to local neighborhood commercial centers.

Project Features

Energy:

• Compact design exposes a smaller proportion of the building envelope to the elements
• Northern exposures replace electrical lighting most of the day
• Trees were left on the site to protect the house from southern and western sun
• Cellulose insulation provides solid fill at the wall cavity
• Ventilated metal roof produces a radiant barrier against the sun
• Size and construction of the house allows for only 1 1/2 tons of HVAC load
• Ground source (geothermal) heat-pump
• Window placement provides effective cross-ventilation
• HVAC unit located within the thermal envelope
• Double-pane, low-E, aluminum clad windows

Materials:

• Exposed structure reduces the need for finish materials
• Light gauge steel frame of high recycled content, augmented by welded steel beams and metal SIP's
• Concrete slab as finished floor surface
• Autoclaved aerated concrete panels provide durable exterior
• Salvaged wood floor and stair treads

Water:

• Rainwater collection barrel also collects from condensate drain
• Native plants reduce need for watering
• No irrigation system installed
• Lawn area does not exceed 50% of pervious cover; lawn is native buffalo grass species
• High-efficiency clothes washer

Health and Safety:

• Mold-resistant materials: stuccoed concrete panel on the exterior and wood shiplap siding on the interior
• No carpet
• No fiberglass fibers exposed in ducting system of HVAC supply
• Exhaust fans used in kitchen and bathrooms
• Low VOC paint used throughout
• Open-air carport prevents combustion gases from accruing
• Insect resistant steel structure and borate insulation

Community:

• Public transportation is accessible and local business can be reached on foot, ideally reducing the need for a car
• Lot size less than 5,750 s.f.
• Located in a neighborhood that has been established for over 70 years
• Porches oriented toward the public right of way, creating a friendly environment

Testing/General Results:

• Eco-inspections performed a total home efficiency test. The home scored well for room air flow, properly sized equipment, air leakage in ducts, and air leakage through building envelope.

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