Their Story

Jim and Gail of Abingdon, VA grew up as environmentalists and readers of Mother Earth News—which is where they found Deltec Homes. They wanted to build a home that incorporated the oldest, yet most effective green technologies: passive solar design. They used the Deltec Homes’ Crescent Chalet Sweep design to get maximum window surface area on the south side of the house, while also allowing an incredibly open floorplan.

Deltec’s Green Building and Sustainability Manger worked with them extensively on the passive solar aspects of the design: adjusting window glass, overhang lengths and thermal storage potential of their concrete slab to perfection. Now the home, currently under construction, is designed to hardly even need a heating system in the winter at all.

The Green Technicalities

Deltec Energy Wall with spray foam insulation (R30); sealed, conditioned attic with spray foam insulation (R42); Superior Wall basement, (R24); R10 underslab insulation. Exposed, stained concrete floors on both levels for thermal mass. High efficiency, multi-stage heat pump and AC system with mechanical fresh air ventilation, topped off with a 7 kilowatt solar electric array.

The Design

A Crescent Chalet is a Deltec round home, stretched into an oval. A Crescent Chalet Sweep is a Crescent Chalet with swept ends, creating a long south-facing side that is perfect for a highly passive solar design. This home is a great testament to the flexibility of a Deltec home.

1st Level

2nd Level