Located in Madison, Wisconsin, Atlanta-based architecture firm Richard Wittschiebe Hand have complete Ross Street House. This is first residence rated Home Platinum LEED in this Wisconsin. with the surround of the neighborhood having most houses of post world war design, Carol and her husband (founder of Richard Wittschiebe Hand) then also worked around their house to maintain the design for the neighborhood.
The 2,700 square foot design is a simple form with cues taken from the southfacing lot. The southern facade was designed to capture as much of the winter southern sun as possible while shading the sun in the summertime. The concept of a box camera generated the form with the roof gently sloping from south to north. Sunlight that enters the home is controlled with fixed louvers attached outside the south facing windows. Computer modeling in ArchiCAD was utilized to study the amount of daylight that would enter the building during the winter and summer solstices. The louvers are designed to allow the sunlight to penetrate deep into the space between October and February while shading the windows between May and August.
Primary exterior materials are 6” tongue and groove cedar siding with a metal roof. Cedar siding was selected for its similar scale and material to other houses along the street. A dark color for the siding and roof were chosen so that the house would appear smaller than it actually is. In contrast, the interior materials are very light in nature. Locally harvested maple and light colored walls make the inside of the house appear larger than it is. The main level is an open plan with service elements on the west side and living spaces on the east side. An open stair visually connects all three floors and is anchored by a three-story high wall. The upper level has a study opening onto the living room and a master bedroom suite. The lower level has additional bedrooms, a beer making room, storage, and a workroom.
Water conservation efforts include dual-flush toilets, low-flow faucets, a tankless water heater, and a rain water retention system for garden irrigation. Volatile organic compound (VOC)-free paints and adhesives were used to limit the unhealthy off-gassing commonly found in conventional American homes. The detached garage is topped with photovoltaic panels that generate enough electricity to offset more than half of the annual demand.
The house was designed to minimize air infiltration to less than 1 air change per hour through the incorporation of spray foam insulation and the careful sealing of all doors and windows. Forced ventilation is necessary to provide healthy air in the house. This is accomplished efficiently by using an energy recovery ventilation system and incorporates a 3-stage high efficiency furnace.
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