Why a New Hampshire Couple Skipped a Renovation and Built a Net-Zero Passive House Instead

When a nature-loving couple moved to Durham, N.H., they came with a vision of finding a classic New England farmhouse to renovate and make their own. 

They rented a barn on a historic property, but the dream didn’t last long. Watching the owner invest excessive time and money trying to modernize the main house convinced them that they ultimately didn’t want to restore an antique.

So, they shifted their focus entirely. Instead of pouring all their resources into an old structure, making compromises along the way, they decided to build from the ground up to get exactly what they wanted: a home that looks like a classic New England farmhouse, but is designed for ultimate sustainability and efficiency through passive building techniques.

Challenges with the slope

The 2.8-acre wooded site the couple found to build on presented a challenge from the start, though. While it had the south-facing exposure they were seeking (passive principles look to maximize solar heat gains to reduce heating costs), the ideal orientation was in a direction that was nearly perpendicular to the site’s slope, requiring additional grading and foundation work.

Phil Kaplan, AIA, LEED AP, principal of the Maine-based Kaplan Thompson Architects, said the extra effort was worthwhile because the clients prioritized achieving net-zero energy and Passive House certification.

“It was our job to make sure nothing else in terms of design was sacrificed in the process of achieving these things,” he says. “We analyzed the energy performance at multiple orientations and determined which one was optimal for both siting, and performance, including the shading of adjacent trees.”

The most favorable solution came through an elongated structure with one end anchored to the hilltop and the other end “walking” down the slope, creating space for a walkout basement beneath an elevated screen porch.

Triple-glazed windows were maximized along that south elevation, while only a few were placed on the north side. All windows in occupied spaces are operable.

Kaplan says having most of your windows on the south side isn't appropriate for all sites.

"If the best view is north, we wouldn't advocate for it,” he says. But, here, the careful placement and balance between the windows to the north and south was essential, not only for energy performance but also for how the space lives and the quality of light.   

“Without glass on the north side, there’d be too much glare, and the space would feel uncomfortable,” Kaplan says. “There's no formula that works in all situations, but that’s a benefit of working with an experienced architect with both design skill and technical proficiency."

Form follows farmhouse

The home's final form includes a pitched roof that recalls the farmhouse aesthetic the clients sought. A detached barn-like garage connects to the residence by a covered breezeway, while native plantings pepper the low-maintenance landscape.

Once inside, the south-facing windows flood the double-height dining and living areas with light and, in the winter, with passive warmth. The 2,921-square-foot home features a mostly open floor plan with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, plus a workout room and offices below.

Beyond the cantilever, the materials here all evoke a sense of place. Sourced locally, the same horizontal pine board cladding used on the exterior was also brought into the interiors, while FSC-certified white oak floors throughout keep the space airy and fresh.

Outside, a boulder harvested from the property and rolled underneath the trellised breezeway pays homage to the old stone wall it formerly anchored nearby.

The building envelope

Efficient mechanicals include three mini-split heat pumps, a heat-pump water heater, and an ERV that exhausts moisture and odors and exchanges them with fresh outdoor air. Extreme attention to taping at every penetration, inside and out, completes the airtight envelope.

The bottom line

And while the extra expense of building toward a certified Passive House can be a challenge, in this project, the couple financed their home through conventional loan channels. Now, two years in, they're reporting an encouraging payback.

The home requires 90% less energy to heat and cool than a code-built home of the same size and achieves net-zero energy each year through its solar array. A Home Energy Rating Certificate predicts annual energy savings of $15,744, equivalent to $472,320 over a 30-year mortgage period. That's before accounting for renewable energy input. The owners estimate their actual 30-year savings at $650,000 based on utility statements.