Design, products, and systems work in harmony with a sustainable home that meets the challenge of Austin’s harsh climate.
When it comes to partnerships, Robert and Judi George, owners of the VISION House Austin, could hardly be better suited to work with Peter Pfeiffer, Alan Barley and Joel Effland of Barley|Pfeiffer Architecture, and Justin Moore, owner of White Elephant General Contractors in Austin.
Part of the joy for VISION House Austin owners Robert and Judi George is enjoying the benefits of living in a simpler, more-efficient, all-electric and low-maintenance home.
The Georges share a lifelong dedication to sustainability and wanted their custom home to showcase the best in climate resilient design, as well as a floorplan that is conducive to aging in place in a net zero energy home that’s all electric, healthy, smart, and solar powered.
VISION House Austin features an open floorplan that is conducive to aging in place.
In partnership with Green Builder Media, Pfeiffer and Barley designed a home that responds to the Austin climate and the site’s individual characteristics. Careful placement of overhangs to reduce solar heat gain, a screened porch to catch breezes, and a floor plan that places spaces used less often in the daytime on the western side of the house created a home resilient to Austin’s extreme weather.
VISION House Austin is a custom home that showcases the best in climate-resilient design, as well as being all electric and net zero energy, healthy, smart and solar powered.
As house plans progressed, products and systems were chosen to complement the design and work together to achieve the long-term goals of the owners. “We knew from the beginning that we wanted James Hardie siding for the exterior of the house because it’s a durable product that’s kind of the gold standard for builders,” Moore says.
Hardie fiber cement siding, which is manufactured specifically to meet climate challenges in different regions of the country, is long lasting and fire resistant—an increasingly important characteristic in the Austin area. The Georges’ house features Hardie Artisan lap siding, which Effland says is about three times as thick as the standard Hardie siding. It adds shadows, depth and texture for a beautiful exterior. Hardie V-groove siding is used as accent material on the screen porch and entry porch.
Next-Level Energy Savings
Once Barley and Pfeiffer designed the Georges’ house to respond to its site and environment, building the house to achieve the highest performance levels was the next priority.
Henry, a Carlisle company, provided its Blueskin VP100 product, a weather-resistive barrier that eliminates air gaps, self-seals around nails and fasteners, and prevents water and moisture intrusion for the building envelope.
Henry products used at the VISION House, such as Blueskin ZeroFlash and closed-cell spray foam insulation Seal-Tite, are designed for extreme temperatures, to prevent pest infestations, and reduce moisture and mold issues that are common to the humid climate in Austin.
Blueskin ZeroFlash is impermeable to water, air and moisture intrusion. It can be installed without primer, seals around nails and fasteners for watertightness, and allows flashing to remain in place without mechanical fasteners.
“Henry’s products were new to us, so we were happy to try them out and discover that the result was a much cleaner weather barrier,” Moore says.
Barley and Pfeiffer often specify a metal roof for their Austin homes to reflect solar heat back into the sky and away from the house.
“Fabral was a new company for us for the metal roof, and it’s installed with a radiant barrier from Henry underneath,” Effland says. “The metal roof functions almost like a shade umbrella above the house.”
Fabral’s thin metal roof, which is lightweight and reflective, warms up but won’t store heat. The prefinished roof has coatings to prevent moss, mildew and fungus, and is low maintenance. The roof panels are Class A rated for fire resistance and Class 4 for hail, the highest possible rating for impact resistance, both of which add to the climate resilience of VISION House Austin.
Andersen 100 Series windows and doors were chosen for the Georges’ home for their durability and longevity. “We particularly like the fiberglass framing system, which performs well,” Effland says. “Plus, thermally, they can hold up to the Texas heat.”
The windows are made with Fibrex material, which is stronger than vinyl and includes a finish that can handle extreme heat without flaking or blistering. “The fiberglass holds up really well and doesn’t rot like some wood products,” Effland says. “You don’t have the thermal bridging issues that you have with some of the aluminum systems, either.”
A highly efficient heating and cooling system from Trane will stand up to the extreme temperatures in Austin, which easily rise above a humid 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and include ice storms in the winter.
“Trane also sponsored the mini-split system for the garage room, plus a triple filtration unit for the main HVAC system that will help with dust, pollens and particulates in the air,” Effland says.
The Georges will rely on a Savant smart home system that’s connected to its solar power and battery backup.
“Savant’s system is also tied to the General Electric appliances, so it will really help it monitor what devices are using energy in the house,” Effland says. “If the power goes offline, it will help them manage the energy they’re pulling from their batteries and understand where it’s going. They can automatically shut off certain parts of the house in a power outage so that their battery storage will last longer.”
An advantage of Savant is that the system has a module that works with standard panels and breakers, Moore says. “Most other power management systems have proprietary panels, and you have to use that system,” Moore says. “This Savant system will be much easier to adjust in the future, since it works with standard equipment.”
The Savant system allows the Georges to remotely monitor and control their GE appliances, too.
Interior Design Choices Support Sustainability
Homeowners Robert and Judi George had the advantage of living right next door to their new home while it was under construction, enabling them to have instant input on design choices if needed. The Georges worked closely with interior designer Jacquelyn Bilek, owner of Jacquelyn Bilek Interiors in Austin, along with the architectural team at Barley|Pfeiffer Architecture in Austin and Justin Moore, owner of White Elephant General Contractors in Austin.
“Every house requires a dance between interior design and architecture,” Bilek says. “For the Georges’ house, we made design choices that would support the green features and aging in place.”
Some of the key decisions include opting for light, reflective horizontal surfaces such as the kitchen counters and floors to make it easier for residents to see and to accentuate natural light to reduce reliance on electricity for artificial lighting.
“Climate influences design choices everywhere,” Bilek says. “When I worked in Wyoming, the goal was to keep the heat in and the cold air out, so we tend to use dark colors and black metal there, which we wouldn’t do in Austin’s heat.” The architects designed the Georges’ house with overhangs to reduce solar heat gain, but Bilek and the Georges also plan to install honeycomb shades inside for extra shade in the summer.
Health, Wellness and Comfort
While the design of the home meets the Georges’ desire for energy efficiency, they are also pleased with the open floor plan and outdoor living areas that provide the space they want for their lifestyle.
A synthetic deck from TimberTech provides strong fire protection. It’s also made from 60 percent post-industrial and post-construction scrap materials.
The Georges look forward to relaxing on their screened porch and on their deck, which is a synthetic deck from TimberTech made from 60 percent post-industrial and post-construction scrap materials. The deck has the color and texture of wood, but it’s a wood alternative with a Class A rating for flame spread.
“We’ve used synthetic decking before, but a lot of companies offer a fire-resistant deck with a wood frame, which is a big concern,” Effland says. “We really like that TimberTech’s deck comes with an aluminum frame that’s also fire-resistant.” Inside, the floors and countertops are provided by AHF, including tile floors in the bathrooms and laundry room as well as engineered wood floors for the main living areas.
“The light-colored wood floors look really good,” Effland says. “They’re softer under your feet, compared to tile or concrete, so they don’t hurt your feet and knees as much, which is great for aging in place.”
A benefit of engineered wood floors, Moore says, is that they have the finish of high-quality hardwood but are more resource efficient because they use a lower grade sub floor. Typically, they can be installed with a plywood sub floor, which is less prone to warping over time and is more moisture resistant.
“Another benefit of the prefinished engineered floors is that the finish is factory applied, where the environment is carefully controlled,” Moore says. “You get a stronger, more-durable finish that way. And you’re not introducing all of the sanding and harsh chemicals in the house, which happens with wood floors that are finished in place.”
In addition to choices such as paint, flooring and cabinets that introduce fewer chemicals in the house, indoor air quality will be enhanced with a ventilation system from Field Controls.
“It’s hard to say enough good things about this system, because it’s just a really intelligent use of really simple mechanics,” Effland says. The new ASHRAE 62.2 energy code, he notes, is the standard formula for how much fresh air must be brought into a home based on its size and number of occupants.
“Most people are solving that by just installing an ERV that runs a fan at a low speed all of the time, bringing fresh air in and taking cold air out,” Effland says. “But when you pair that with the dryer exhaust, range hood vent, and the bathroom exhaust, you end up ventilating your house more than you technically need to.”
Also, that ventilation brings in additional humidity that an air conditioner or dehumidifier has to handle, Effland adds. “It brings in additional pollutants from the outside that your filtration system has to handle,” he says.
The Field Controls system uses the HVAC fan to bring in fresh air instead of introducing a separate fan. “It also monitors up to four other devices, such as your dryer vent, your bathroom exhaust and your vent hood, and it will credit that run time towards your required ventilation,” Effland says. “That way, you don’t have to run your other fresh air supply ventilation system as much as you would otherwise, which saves energy and lowers your utility bill.”
The synergy between the design and the products and systems in the house help the Georges achieve their goal of owning a simpler, efficient, low-maintenance, high-performance home.
“We designed this house before we partnered with Green Builder to turn this into a VISION House,” Effland says. “All of these sponsorships are only going to make it perform better and better for the Georges.”
James Hardie cement siding—a long-lasting and fire-resistant product—can handle Austin’s extreme heat, making the home thermally superior.
Flooring and cabinets from Field Controls introduce fewer chemicals in the house, enhancing indoor air quality.
Fibrex-based Andersen windows were chosen for their durability and longevity
Tile floors and countertops from AHF offer a stately appearance throughout the home.
Fabral’s metal roof is lightweight and reflective. Combined with a radiant barrier from Henry that is installed underneath the roof, the house becomes a “shade umbrella.”
A Savant smart home system, connected to solar power and a battery backup, monitors which devices are using energy in the house, and can also shut off certain parts of the house in an outage to ensure that battery power lasts longer. The system also enables access to an electric vehicle charger.
Trane’s cooling and heating system withstands the extreme temperatures in Austin, which easily rise above a humid 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and include ice storms in the winter.
A Place of Peace
Design, products, and systems work in harmony with a sustainable home that meets the challenge of Austin’s harsh climate.
When it comes to partnerships, Robert and Judi George, owners of the VISION House Austin, could hardly be better suited to work with Peter Pfeiffer, Alan Barley and Joel Effland of Barley|Pfeiffer Architecture, and Justin Moore, owner of White Elephant General Contractors in Austin.
Part of the joy for VISION House Austin owners Robert and Judi George is enjoying the benefits of living in a simpler, more-efficient, all-electric and low-maintenance home.
The Georges share a lifelong dedication to sustainability and wanted their custom home to showcase the best in climate resilient design, as well as a floorplan that is conducive to aging in place in a net zero energy home that’s all electric, healthy, smart, and solar powered.
VISION House Austin features an open floorplan that is conducive to aging in place.
In partnership with Green Builder Media, Pfeiffer and Barley designed a home that responds to the Austin climate and the site’s individual characteristics. Careful placement of overhangs to reduce solar heat gain, a screened porch to catch breezes, and a floor plan that places spaces used less often in the daytime on the western side of the house created a home resilient to Austin’s extreme weather.
VISION House Austin is a custom home that showcases the best in climate-resilient design, as well as being all electric and net zero energy, healthy, smart and solar powered.
As house plans progressed, products and systems were chosen to complement the design and work together to achieve the long-term goals of the owners. “We knew from the beginning that we wanted James Hardie siding for the exterior of the house because it’s a durable product that’s kind of the gold standard for builders,” Moore says.
Hardie fiber cement siding, which is manufactured specifically to meet climate challenges in different regions of the country, is long lasting and fire resistant—an increasingly important characteristic in the Austin area. The Georges’ house features Hardie Artisan lap siding, which Effland says is about three times as thick as the standard Hardie siding. It adds shadows, depth and texture for a beautiful exterior. Hardie V-groove siding is used as accent material on the screen porch and entry porch.
Next-Level Energy Savings
Once Barley and Pfeiffer designed the Georges’ house to respond to its site and environment, building the house to achieve the highest performance levels was the next priority.
Henry, a Carlisle company, provided its Blueskin VP100 product, a weather-resistive barrier that eliminates air gaps, self-seals around nails and fasteners, and prevents water and moisture intrusion for the building envelope.
Henry products used at the VISION House, such as Blueskin ZeroFlash and closed-cell spray foam insulation Seal-Tite, are designed for extreme temperatures, to prevent pest infestations, and reduce moisture and mold issues that are common to the humid climate in Austin.
Blueskin ZeroFlash is impermeable to water, air and moisture intrusion. It can be installed without primer, seals around nails and fasteners for watertightness, and allows flashing to remain in place without mechanical fasteners.
“Henry’s products were new to us, so we were happy to try them out and discover that the result was a much cleaner weather barrier,” Moore says.
Barley and Pfeiffer often specify a metal roof for their Austin homes to reflect solar heat back into the sky and away from the house.
“Fabral was a new company for us for the metal roof, and it’s installed with a radiant barrier from Henry underneath,” Effland says. “The metal roof functions almost like a shade umbrella above the house.”
Fabral’s thin metal roof, which is lightweight and reflective, warms up but won’t store heat. The prefinished roof has coatings to prevent moss, mildew and fungus, and is low maintenance. The roof panels are Class A rated for fire resistance and Class 4 for hail, the highest possible rating for impact resistance, both of which add to the climate resilience of VISION House Austin.
Andersen 100 Series windows and doors were chosen for the Georges’ home for their durability and longevity. “We particularly like the fiberglass framing system, which performs well,” Effland says. “Plus, thermally, they can hold up to the Texas heat.”
The windows are made with Fibrex material, which is stronger than vinyl and includes a finish that can handle extreme heat without flaking or blistering.
“The fiberglass holds up really well and doesn’t rot like some wood products,” Effland says. “You don’t have the thermal bridging issues that you have with some of the aluminum systems, either.”
A highly efficient heating and cooling system from Trane will stand up to the extreme temperatures in Austin, which easily rise above a humid 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and include ice storms in the winter.
“Trane also sponsored the mini-split system for the garage room, plus a triple filtration unit for the main HVAC system that will help with dust, pollens and particulates in the air,” Effland says.
The Georges will rely on a Savant smart home system that’s connected to its solar power and battery backup.
“Savant’s system is also tied to the General Electric appliances, so it will really help it monitor what devices are using energy in the house,” Effland says. “If the power goes offline, it will help them manage the energy they’re pulling from their batteries and understand where it’s going. They can automatically shut off certain parts of the house in a power outage so that their battery storage will last longer.”
An advantage of Savant is that the system has a module that works with standard panels and breakers, Moore says. “Most other power management systems have proprietary panels, and you have to use that system,” Moore says. “This Savant system will be much easier to adjust in the future, since it works with standard equipment.”
The Savant system allows the Georges to remotely monitor and control their GE appliances, too.
Interior Design Choices Support Sustainability
Homeowners Robert and Judi George had the advantage of living right next door to their new home while it was under construction, enabling them to have instant input on design choices if needed. The Georges worked closely with interior designer Jacquelyn Bilek, owner of Jacquelyn Bilek Interiors in Austin, along with the architectural team at Barley|Pfeiffer Architecture in Austin and Justin Moore, owner of White Elephant General Contractors in Austin.
“Every house requires a dance between interior design and architecture,” Bilek says. “For the Georges’ house, we made design choices that would support the green features and aging in place.”
Some of the key decisions include opting for light, reflective horizontal surfaces such as the kitchen counters and floors to make it easier for residents to see and to accentuate natural light to reduce reliance on electricity for artificial lighting.
“Climate influences design choices everywhere,” Bilek says. “When I worked in Wyoming, the goal was to keep the heat in and the cold air out, so we tend to use dark colors and black metal there, which we wouldn’t do in Austin’s heat.” The architects designed the Georges’ house with overhangs to reduce solar heat gain, but Bilek and the Georges also plan to install honeycomb shades inside for extra shade in the summer.
Health, Wellness and Comfort
While the design of the home meets the Georges’ desire for energy efficiency, they are also pleased with the open floor plan and outdoor living areas that provide the space they want for their lifestyle.
A synthetic deck from TimberTech provides strong fire protection. It’s also made from 60 percent post-industrial and post-construction scrap materials.
The Georges look forward to relaxing on their screened porch and on their deck, which is a synthetic deck from TimberTech made from 60 percent post-industrial and post-construction scrap materials. The deck has the color and texture of wood, but it’s a wood alternative with a Class A rating for flame spread.
“We’ve used synthetic decking before, but a lot of companies offer a fire-resistant deck with a wood frame, which is a big concern,” Effland says. “We really like that TimberTech’s deck comes with an aluminum frame that’s also fire-resistant.”
Inside, the floors and countertops are provided by AHF, including tile floors in the bathrooms and laundry room as well as engineered wood floors for the main living areas.
“The light-colored wood floors look really good,” Effland says. “They’re softer under your feet, compared to tile or concrete, so they don’t hurt your feet and knees as much, which is great for aging in place.”
A benefit of engineered wood floors, Moore says, is that they have the finish of high-quality hardwood but are more resource efficient because they use a lower grade sub floor. Typically, they can be installed with a plywood sub floor, which is less prone to warping over time and is more moisture resistant.
“Another benefit of the prefinished engineered floors is that the finish is factory applied, where the environment is carefully controlled,” Moore says. “You get a stronger, more-durable finish that way. And you’re not introducing all of the sanding and harsh chemicals in the house, which happens with wood floors that are finished in place.”
In addition to choices such as paint, flooring and cabinets that introduce fewer chemicals in the house, indoor air quality will be enhanced with a ventilation system from Field Controls.
“It’s hard to say enough good things about this system, because it’s just a really intelligent use of really simple mechanics,” Effland says. The new ASHRAE 62.2 energy code, he notes, is the standard formula for how much fresh air must be brought into a home based on its size and number of occupants.
“Most people are solving that by just installing an ERV that runs a fan at a low speed all of the time, bringing fresh air in and taking cold air out,” Effland says. “But when you pair that with the dryer exhaust, range hood vent, and the bathroom exhaust, you end up ventilating your house more than you technically need to.”
Also, that ventilation brings in additional humidity that an air conditioner or dehumidifier has to handle, Effland adds. “It brings in additional pollutants from the outside that your filtration system has to handle,” he says.
The Field Controls system uses the HVAC fan to bring in fresh air instead of introducing a separate fan. “It also monitors up to four other devices, such as your dryer vent, your bathroom exhaust and your vent hood, and it will credit that run time towards your required ventilation,” Effland says. “That way, you don’t have to run your other fresh air supply ventilation system as much as you would otherwise, which saves energy and lowers your utility bill.”
The synergy between the design and the products and systems in the house help the Georges achieve their goal of owning a simpler, efficient, low-maintenance, high-performance home.
“We designed this house before we partnered with Green Builder to turn this into a VISION House,” Effland says. “All of these sponsorships are only going to make it perform better and better for the Georges.”
James Hardie cement siding—a long-lasting and fire-resistant product—can handle Austin’s extreme heat, making the home thermally superior.
Flooring and cabinets from Field Controls introduce fewer chemicals in the house, enhancing indoor air quality.
Fibrex-based Andersen windows were chosen for their durability and longevity
Tile floors and countertops from AHF offer a stately appearance throughout the home.
Fabral’s metal roof is lightweight and reflective. Combined with a radiant barrier from Henry that is installed underneath the roof, the house becomes a “shade umbrella.”
By Michele Lerner, Associate Editor
Michele Lerner is an award-winning freelance writer, editor, and author who writes about real estate, personal finance, and business.Also Read