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Accord, NY Passive House

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An abundance of south-facing windows connect the double-height living room to the outdoors.
An abundance of south-facing windows connect the double-height living room to the outdoors.
A guest room off the kitchen provides shared light to both spaces.
A guest room off the kitchen provides shared light to both spaces.
The fabric wall art and pillows in the living room are by Designwork, a zero-waste textile project crafted from recycled Eileen Fisher clothing.
The fabric wall art and pillows in the living room are by Designwork, a zero-waste textile project crafted from recycled Eileen Fisher clothing.
The white oak millwork finishes throughout the rooms are repurposed from ceiling slats to offer a warm counterpoint to the concrete slab floor. The dining table is by Hudson Workshop, and the matte black chairs are by Allermuir.
The white oak millwork finishes throughout the rooms are repurposed from ceiling slats to offer a warm counterpoint to the concrete slab floor. The dining table is by Hudson Workshop, and the matte black chairs are by Allermuir.
Large sliding pocket doors provide rooms with privacy while maintaining an open plan, maximizing flexibility in the space.
Large sliding pocket doors provide rooms with privacy while maintaining an open plan, maximizing flexibility in the space.
The kitchen is open to the living area, and the guest bedroom can be seen beyond. The picnic table is by Hudson Workshop, and the bright-red light fixture is by Santa & Cole.
The kitchen is open to the living area, and the guest bedroom can be seen beyond. The picnic table is by Hudson Workshop, and the bright-red light fixture is by Santa & Cole.
The secluded location of the house at the edge of a retired shale bank allows the luxury of an open outdoor shower. Corrugated steel siding provides a durable, zero-maintenance exterior finish and captures the changing sun and woodland shadows.
The secluded location of the house at the edge of a retired shale bank allows the luxury of an open outdoor shower. Corrugated steel siding provides a durable, zero-maintenance exterior finish and captures the changing sun and woodland shadows.
The master bathroom uses plastered shower walls and a large window to maintain a simple, direct rapport with the outdoors.
The master bathroom uses plastered shower walls and a large window to maintain a simple, direct rapport with the outdoors.
A glimpse into the main bedroom at the end of the day. Windows on the south facade are oversized for solar gains, views, and a robust indoor/outdoor connection.
A glimpse into the main bedroom at the end of the day. Windows on the south facade are oversized for solar gains, views, and a robust indoor/outdoor connection.

From North River Architecture & Planning, PC

This 1,730 sf single-family residence in Accord, NY, achieved PHIUS+ Certification as a Passive House. While Passive House is becoming a recognizable guarantee of radically lower energy use, perhaps of equal importance to our clients are the other features: healthy, comfortable, and low-maintenance. Designed by North River Architecture for our Senior Designer, Peter Reynolds, the house also has a 9kW photovoltaic array on roof, making this a Net Zero building capable of producing more energy annually than the building requires.

North River Architecture invited our colleagues, friends and neighbors to tour the house during construction, making our process and solutions available to all who are interested to learn. We trained contractors with no prior experience on Passive House to successfully meet high standards for airtightness, insulation, and construction quality.