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Net Zero Energy House
Washington DC
2011
Graduate Project, with Debashree Pal [Harvard] and Ali Qureshi [MIT]

The project is a net zero energy house using the program requirements of the annual Solar Decathlon competition.

The house has been designed with a narrow floor plate to maximize daylighting and cross ventilation. The kink in the plan is meant to increase the area of the southern facade for solar collection during the winter while an overhang prevents unwanted solar gain in the warmer seasons.

The program is stacked on one side of the house to create a more compact form while maintaining rooms with exposures on both sides. The plumbing and mechanical functions are integrated into one centralized core to minimize distribution runs.

Chilled water coils are integrated into the facade to precool and dehumidify incoming air as a means of extending the natural ventilation season. A water to water ground source heat pump provides energy efficient cooling and heating, while a roof mounted PV array generates electricity.