Prescott Passive House
Prescott Passive House Studio 804
32 S. 16th Street Kansas City, Kansas USA Studio 804 presents the Prescott Passive House, a singlefamily, low energy residence located in Kansas City, Kansas. Designed to exceed both Passive House and LEED Platinum standards, the residence uses minimal energy through affordable passive means. The home is located in the Prescott neighborhood, just minutes from downtown Kansas City. Passive House The Prescott Passive house acts as a prototype for the region, as it aims at being the first certified Passive House in the state of Kansas, and one of only a handful in the country. To obtain its goal of a 90% reduction in heating and cooling energy demand, the house uses low cost passive strategies such as louvers, thermal mass, high performance windows, super insulation, southern orientation, and an air tight building envelope. An energy recovery ventilator works in conjunction with these strategies to temper fresh intake air with energy from the exhaust air, providing constant fresh air year round. LEED Platinum Under the guidance of the LEED Platinum criteria, measures were taken to ensure the sustainability of the Prescott Passive House in ways beyond merely energy efficiency. Site location and treatment, material content, construction waste management, and water efficiency were all carefully examined.
Program This 1,700 square foot, three bedroom, two bath residence bestows many amenities within a small ecological footprint. Despite its modest size, the open floor plan creates a surprisingly spacious interior. A double height living room connects the main floor with the upper level, where the master bedroom is located. The stacked master bathroom and main floor bathroom are flooded with natural light through an internal two-story frosted glass wall across from the expansive southern glazing. Overlooking the living room and southern array of windows is the flexible loft space. On the main level, the living room is connected to the kitchen and dining spaces with an exposed concrete thermal mass floor. These living areas are located just off of the 400 sf deck, which lends uninhibited views of the Prescott neighborhood and the Kansas City skyline while doubly functioning as the carport roof. At the west end of the main level are two additional bedrooms with views to the surrounding double width lot. Remote controlled operable skylights create the only break in the northern envelope of the house, and operable glazing stretches the entire length of the southern side to encourage natural ventilation. This impressive façade is protected by louvers optimally angled to allow winter heat gain yet block sunlight from penetrating the house in the summer. Downstairs, a full walkout basement provides ample storage as well as a finished flex room located directly off of the carport.
Energy Conservation A 16” thick insulated wall assembly and a 22” thick insulated roof assembly provide the basis for a home that seeks a 90% reduction in heating and cooling energy. This airtight assembly nearly eliminates all heat transfer through the building envelope, keeping all heat gained from the high performance glazing within the house. The energy recovery ventilator and thermal masses seek to further maintain a constant interior temperature, reducing most needs for additional tempering support. Outside, clotheslines discourage the use of an electric clothes dryer, one of the most inefficient of the otherwise Energy Star rated appliances. Materials In the spirit of the age-old Japanese shou-sugi-ban tradition, the exterior of the Prescott Passive House is clad in a charred Douglas Fir rainscreen. This low-maintenance assembly yields a UV-protected dark black finish to the house. Recycled paper windowsills and countertops, bamboo flooring, and concrete thermal mass-providing floor complement the clean white interior walls and ceiling. Community Being the first new construction in its Kansas City, Kansas neighborhood in many decades, the Prescott Passive House breathes new life into an established neighborhood. With its sustainable energy conservation strategies, the home has further served as an educational tool to the community throughout the construction process.
About Studio 804 Studio 804, a not-for profit, design/build program at the University of Kansas, is a student led process that creates affordable architecture while thoughtfully responding to global problems of density and sustainability using smaller scale, local solutions. Prior to the Prescott Passive House project, and over the course of its fourteen year history under the direction of Dan Rockhill, JL Constant Distinguished Professor of Architecture, Studio 804 has succeeded as the impetus of change in older neighborhoods throughout Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas. Prescott Passive House will be their third LEED Platinum building in Kansas. Studio 804 serves as the final design studio for graduate students at the University of Kansas School of Architecture, Design and Planning. This final, single semester, comprehensive experience provides students with critical knowledge that prepares them for their future work as young architects in a rapidly changing and challenging profession. Studio 804’s projects are funded by the efforts of students enrolled in the program who are also faced with the responsibility of selling the house. Contact:Dan [email protected]_www.studio804.com
32 S. 16th Street Kansas City, Kansas USA Studio 804 presents the Prescott Passive House, a singlefamily, low energy residence located in Kansas City, Kansas. Designed to exceed both Passive House and LEED Platinum standards, the residence uses minimal energy through affordable passive means. The home is located in the Prescott neighborhood, just minutes from downtown Kansas City. Passive House The Prescott Passive house acts as a prototype for the region, as it aims at being the first certified Passive House in the state of Kansas, and one of only a handful in the country. To obtain its goal of a 90% reduction in heating and cooling energy demand, the house uses low cost passive strategies such as louvers, thermal mass, high performance windows, super insulation, southern orientation, and an air tight building envelope. An energy recovery ventilator works in conjunction with these strategies to temper fresh intake air with energy from the exhaust air, providing constant fresh air year round. LEED Platinum Under the guidance of the LEED Platinum criteria, measures were taken to ensure the sustainability of the Prescott Passive House in ways beyond merely energy efficiency. Site location and treatment, material content, construction waste management, and water efficiency were all carefully examined.
Program This 1,700 square foot, three bedroom, two bath residence bestows many amenities within a small ecological footprint. Despite its modest size, the open floor plan creates a surprisingly spacious interior. A double height living room connects the main floor with the upper level, where the master bedroom is located. The stacked master bathroom and main floor bathroom are flooded with natural light through an internal two-story frosted glass wall across from the expansive southern glazing. Overlooking the living room and southern array of windows is the flexible loft space. On the main level, the living room is connected to the kitchen and dining spaces with an exposed concrete thermal mass floor. These living areas are located just off of the 400 sf deck, which lends uninhibited views of the Prescott neighborhood and the Kansas City skyline while doubly functioning as the carport roof. At the west end of the main level are two additional bedrooms with views to the surrounding double width lot. Remote controlled operable skylights create the only break in the northern envelope of the house, and operable glazing stretches the entire length of the southern side to encourage natural ventilation. This impressive façade is protected by louvers optimally angled to allow winter heat gain yet block sunlight from penetrating the house in the summer. Downstairs, a full walkout basement provides ample storage as well as a finished flex room located directly off of the carport.
Energy Conservation A 16” thick insulated wall assembly and a 22” thick insulated roof assembly provide the basis for a home that seeks a 90% reduction in heating and cooling energy. This airtight assembly nearly eliminates all heat transfer through the building envelope, keeping all heat gained from the high performance glazing within the house. The energy recovery ventilator and thermal masses seek to further maintain a constant interior temperature, reducing most needs for additional tempering support. Outside, clotheslines discourage the use of an electric clothes dryer, one of the most inefficient of the otherwise Energy Star rated appliances. Materials In the spirit of the age-old Japanese shou-sugi-ban tradition, the exterior of the Prescott Passive House is clad in a charred Douglas Fir rainscreen. This low-maintenance assembly yields a UV-protected dark black finish to the house. Recycled paper windowsills and countertops, bamboo flooring, and concrete thermal mass-providing floor complement the clean white interior walls and ceiling. Community Being the first new construction in its Kansas City, Kansas neighborhood in many decades, the Prescott Passive House breathes new life into an established neighborhood. With its sustainable energy conservation strategies, the home has further served as an educational tool to the community throughout the construction process.
About Studio 804 Studio 804, a not-for profit, design/build program at the University of Kansas, is a student led process that creates affordable architecture while thoughtfully responding to global problems of density and sustainability using smaller scale, local solutions. Prior to the Prescott Passive House project, and over the course of its fourteen year history under the direction of Dan Rockhill, JL Constant Distinguished Professor of Architecture, Studio 804 has succeeded as the impetus of change in older neighborhoods throughout Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas. Prescott Passive House will be their third LEED Platinum building in Kansas. Studio 804 serves as the final design studio for graduate students at the University of Kansas School of Architecture, Design and Planning. This final, single semester, comprehensive experience provides students with critical knowledge that prepares them for their future work as young architects in a rapidly changing and challenging profession. Studio 804’s projects are funded by the efforts of students enrolled in the program who are also faced with the responsibility of selling the house. Contact:Dan [email protected]_www.studio804.com
