Summary:
The Mallett Deep Energy Retrofit project is an open-source Deep Energy Retrofit of an 1875-era home in downtown Freeport, Maine. Deep Energy Retrofits are generally defined as reductions in a building's energy use of 50% or greater and are among the most effective (if least glamorous) tools we have to tackle residential energy use. If implemented on a massive scale, they also have the potential to do wonders for our economy by creating quality jobs, increasing our energy security in a volatile market, and making our homes long lasting and resilient.
The Deep Energy Retrofit of the historic Mallett House also provides an opportunity to address a significant, if contentious, question about energy use in our historic building stock. There is understandable consternation amongst preservationists about the impact of deep energy reductions on the fabric of our historically relevant buildings. But the question we confront is whether we'll relegate the vestige of our past to poor energy performance, or can we prove that the values of historic preservation and efficient, healthy homes are not mutually exclusive? This project is an effort to prove that careful historic preservation and deep energy reductions are compatible. Check out the links below to learn how we plan on preserving the legacy of the last 120 years, and revitalizing it for the next 120.
What better building than this one? A public building owned by Freeport Community Services; representative of a vast swatch of New England architecture; located in high traffic downtown Freeport, ME a stone's throw from L.L Bean; in need of a comprehensive renovation.
Learn more about the project:
What is a Deep Energy Retrofit? - Retrofitting buildings to reduce their energy use by 50% or greater is far from impossible; it just requires more commitment, attention, and thoughtfulness than your average retrofit project. See how deep energy retrofits can drastically reduce energy consumption across the building stock and why mainstreaming this approach to energy savings is essential to any effort to mitigate climate change, increase energy security, or spur job creation in the home performance sector.
Why the Mallett House? - As part of a series of "worker cottages" built by Enlightened Industrialist E.B. Mallett in the 19th century, the house at 57 Depot Street in Freeport, Maine, is an historic local building that had fallen into disrepair. See why the Mallett House represents a fantastic opportunity to both accentuate the past and breathe new life into one of Freeport's most important historical buildings.
Parametric Energy Analysis (coming soon) - Rigorous modeling of the energy savings and cost-effectiveness of various efficiency measures is a core component of a Deep Energy Retrofit. From air sealing and insulation, to heat recovery units and solar photovoltaics, analysis done by the Building Science Corporation weighs various options. You'll find the analysis and our interpretation of it here.
Mechanical Plan (coming soon) - Options and trade-offs between elements of the heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) systems, as well as domestic hot water production, are elaborated upon here.
Roof, Wall & Basement Assemblies (coming soon) - Diagrams and explanations of the roof, wall, and basement assemblies are found here.
Materials Consideration and Global Warming Potential (coming soon) - The wide range of available construction materials each present a complex web of trade-offs when considering economic, environmental, and social factors. Learn more about how we weighed various options here.
Windows (coming soon) - Always a captivating conversation piece, the historical component adds a whole new dimension to the window discussion. Our thoughts on the "great window debate" are here.
Historic Considerations and Decisions (coming soon) - Performing retrofit work on historic buildings is akin to opening Pandora's Box, and decisions must account for the slew of preservation considerations, balancing legal, value, and character judgements of various elements of the building. Here are our musings surrounding the historic considerations and other complicating features.
Project Partners and Supporters (coming soon) - After a long history with many different owners and periods of neglect, the house was recently purchased by Freeport Community Services and slated for a revival. See how the range of partners and supporters have come together to bring this house back to life.
The Building’s History - All old buildings have a story to tell, and the Mallett House is no exception. Take an in-depth look at the history of this building and its cast of characters, intimately interwoven with the development of Freeport itself.
Document Collection - Direct access to original data is a key component of this open-source Deep Energy Retrofit project. Here you'll find all the documents - reports, data sets, analysis, press releases, etc. - associated with the project. Dig in!
Slide Show (coming soon)- Tired of reading? Keep up with the project in photo form here.
Add comment