Budget Breakdown: In the Catskills, an Architect Experiments With Passive Design for $515K

Douglas Romines springs for triple-pane windows, wood fiber insulation, and solar power to build an efficient Hudson Valley home at a cost just slightly above traditional construction.

When architect Douglas Romines says that building his family’s house in the Catskills was a learning experience, he really means it: It was the first home designed to Passive House standards that both he and his contractor worked on.

Join Dwell+ to Continue

Subscribe to Dwell+ to get everything you already love about Dwell, plus exclusive home tours, video features, how-to guides, access to the Dwell archive, and more. You can cancel at any time.

Try Dwell+ for FREE

Already a Dwell+ subscriber? Sign In

j
Jessica Dailey
Dwell Contributor
Jessica Dailey is a Brooklyn-based editor, writer, and content strategist interested in where and how people live. www.jessicadailey.me