QUIETWATER CREEK

Featured as a Case Study in the Sierra Green Building Association’s 2006 Resource Guide.

In the year 2000, this creekside location was recognized as an incredible spot for a home and the lot was purchased. In 2004, as my latest remodel project came on the market, we decided to commit the time and effort to build a really energy efficient home. A fabulous home was designed specifically for the site, and we traveled the across Arizona and Utah looking at a variety of alternative construction methods. We decided to use an ICF (insulated concrete form) product called Poly Steel for its superior strength, efficiency and construction process. http://www.polysteel.com/   We really liked the use of steel for rigidity of the foam blocks instead of hardened plastic.

That same year, a construction partner licensed the design for another down-sloping lot in Tahoe Donner. The builder changed a few things to accommodate the specifics of that lot and his building style. We visited that construction many times over the next few months to decide which ideas and materials worked best for us, and kept affirming how well the original design fit our dreams. 

A couple of the major features in this home that we prefer to its offspring were the 10’ ceiling height downstairs, 9’ plate line in the upstairs, keeping the entire kitchen ceiling vaulted instead of flat, and keeping the grand ceiling height and tower windows in the entry instead of walling off the upper section. The feeling of lofty headroom and spaciousness really works here.

We poured slab on grade for greater strength and to accommodate the 10’ ceilings downstairs, and used a 4 in 12 pitch for the roof to control snow shedding, give a classic Tyrolean profile, and maintain the height requirements for the Town of Truckee.

The interior walls are offset double 2x4 studs, filled with fireproof, recycled cellulose. The floor joists between the 1^st and 2^nd floors were also insulated with cellulose while the master bedroom ceiling and some walls were insulated with foam (most of the walls in the master are ICF). The home is incredibly quiet! Very little sound transfers between rooms. 

The great room ceiling is cedar. The cabinets are maple finished in hazelnut. The trim is alder, a fast growing hardwood with a lovely, natural look. The cedar was clear coated and then the alder was stained to compliment the natural cedar. It is my personal preference to have mixed woods in harmony, rather than contrast.

The West Side windows have a special sound-resistant glazing which makes the house even quieter. It is one thing people always comment on when visiting the house. “It is so quiet here!”

The coelacanth granite is a luxurious, creamy green and speckled with natural crystals.  It is translucent, bordering on transparent…spectacular!

The kitchen floor, main entry, master bath floor, and the entries at the 8’ sliders in the master bedroom and media room are rich brown Antique Sierra. The stone feels so natural and clean underfoot.

The Xtrordinair fireplace is framed by massive blocks of Antique Sierra to coordinate with the floor and provide both elegance and long-lasting thermal mass.   http://www.fireplacextrordinair.com/

Some of the other construction material choices:

1)      Certainteed Weatherboard Fiber cement siding, our favorite fire resistant siding material with a deeply embossed wood-grain pattern, a 10 year warranty on the baked-on redwood finish and a 50 year warranty on the material itself. Class 1 (A) fire rating (per their website) http://www.certainteed.com/CertainTeed/Homeowner/Homeowner/FiberCementSiding/Prodindex/WeatherBoards/

2)      Miratec exterior trim   (From their website)   Performance.
Made from the patented TEC™ process, MiraTEC® Treated Exterior Composite Trim combines the eye-catching beauty of cedar with the long-lasting performance of an engineered product. Because it is not hardboard, MiraTEC Trim will not delaminate, is moisture, rot and termite resistant, and is backed by a 30-year limited warranty. http://www.miratectrim.com/

3)      Soy-based foam insulation R40 in the ceiling. http://www.5starperinsul.com/index.htm

4)      Dunedin PET carpeting 80% polyester and 20% nylon. The polyester is recycled material. I have a 4 page PDF with information on this product.

5)      Jetted tubs in master and in guest baths.

6)      Frigidaire appliances are a classic name that has been rejuvenated with new styles, and the newest technology.  Energy Star.

7)      High efficiency Bryant furnace is known for its quality, reliability and longevity.

8)      Trex Brasilia decking material. http://www.trex.com/brasilia/ The lush, exotic look and feel of Brazilian hardwood without splinters, painting, staining or transporting lumber out of the rain forests.

9)      Low voltage lighting throughout.

10)  Low voltage management panel in laundry room for telephone, cable and internet.

11)  Low E windows. West facing windows have sound glazing.

12)  Reclaimed butcher block island countertop.

13)  Many of the finishes are water-based products.

14)  Passive cooling with upstairs windows/doors and ceiling fan. Downstairs tends to stay several degrees cooler during the summer.

According to the conservation expert at Truckee Donner Public Utility District, this house uses approximately 50% less energy than the average house of this size.