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Photos courtesy of Taylor Bartley at Blank Page Consulting.
The Webster Groves home of David and Thuy Smith is one of North America’s most energy-efficient houses.
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"Active" houses are built using green materials and processes, but they are also designed to conserve—and even produce—energy.
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David Smith says that his family feels healthier in the house.
David and Thuy Smith of Webster Groves live in one of North America’s most energy-efficient houses. Compared to the homes around it, the Smiths’ home has much lower utility bills, better indoor air quality, and fewer common toxins and air pollutants.
The house was built three years ago and is the first “active house” in the United States. Active houses are built using green materials and processes, but they are also designed to conserve—and even produce—energy.
The Smiths’ house uses a combination of five different forms of energy—solar panels, solar thermal for heating, natural gas, electricity, and natural light—which work together to keep the house a consistent temperature. Window sensors, for example, detect the outside temperature and will automatically open windows to allow for natural ventilation.
David Smith says that they feel healthier in the house.
“We love the natural light. It is plentiful due to the liberal use of skylights and windows throughout,” he says. “Another great feature is the lack of drafts. To put it another way, the temperature is consistent throughout the house. I would attribute this, in large part, to the use of SIPs [structural insulated panels].”
Researchers from the University of Missouri studied the home for the first year to measure the levels of humidity, formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and various other air pollutants. This study found that the home’s air quality was even better than expected.
The Smiths’ house was designed by Jeff Day & Associates Architects and built by Hibbs Homes in collaboration with the Active House Alliance, a Dutch nonprofit organization that works with sustainable builders around the world.
Data gathered at the Smiths’ home over the last few years has been used in the development of new Active House Alliance standards, which itself is impressive for a house that seamlessly blends into its historic Webster neighborhood.
“Building green doesn’t mean making sacrifices in comfort,” Smith says. “On the contrary, the intangible benefits to building green far outweigh the nominal upfront costs.”
