Goal 6 - Shady Screen Porch

• Goal 6 - Shady screened porch for summer use
• Preserve trees and locate on shadiest portion of site

Goal 5 - Sunny Back Porch

• Goal 5 - Shade in summer, sunlight in winter for an open south facing backyard porch

Goal 4 - Photovoltaics

• Goal 4 - Design the house to incorporate photovoltaic modules
•  Roof design maximizes exposure to sunlight for photovoltaics

Goal 3 - Rainwater Collection

• Goal 3 - Collect rainwater for household use
• Roof design simplifies collection of rainwater
• LEED credit for impermeable site
• SS4.1 Permeable Lot
• RainShine House built site characteristics:
• SA   Site area                                          15,747.0 sq.ft.
• ISS   Impermeable site surfaces               397.5 sq. ft.      (exclusive of areas under roof)
• VL   Vegetative landscape                  15,369.5 sq. ft.      (vegetative landscape)
•  97.6%  Is collected or Permeable
• 2.4% Is impermeable, 100% of all RainShine House impermeable site surfaces (Iss) are designed to direct all runoff toward permanent infiltration features (see site plan).

Goal 2 - Natural Ventilation

• Goal 2 - Extend the times of the year when the house can use natural ventilation instead of heating and cooling
• Stack effect with operable clerestory windows
• Thru house ventilation
• LEED Innovation Credit : 
• EA 1.2 Innovation in Architecture - Natural Ventaiation and Cooling
• Documentation and Verification: In the primary living areas natural ventilation is achieved as follows:
• Over 12% in operable window area/conditioned floor area in the Master Bedroom in addition to a pair of screened French doors to a covered deck.
• Over 12% operable area/conditioned floor area in the remaining primary living areas (Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, Bed Rooms).  Operable area achieved through inclusion of one door to the Living Area to the Screened Porch.
• At least two windows in each room, on opposite or adjacent walls.
• Insect screens installed on all operable windows.
• Ceiling fans in all primary living areas.

Goal 1 - Sunlight

• Goal 1 - Bring as much winter sunlight as possible into the house to counter the owner’s Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Excellent southern exposure
• A neighborhood of mature trees

Beyond a Better Box

What the envelope can do for you.

On Wednesday, March 13, 2013, Robert M Cain, FAIA, presented to the attendees at Greenprints 2013 a gestalt of how modern design and sustainable design are not mutually exclusive.  The LEED Platunim-rated RainShine House in Decatur, Georgia was the case study.  The presentation addresses the six goals of the RainShine House design and how they were achieved.  Each goal is illustrated diagramatically and photographically, with LEED references and resources.

Envelope Goals established with Owner input

1.  Bring as much winter sunlight as possible into the house to counter the Owner's seasonal affective disorder

2.  Extend the times fo the year when the house can use natural ventilation instead of heating and cooling

3.  Collect rainwater for household use

4.  Design the house to incorporate photovoltaic modules

5.  Shade in Summer, sunlight in Winter for an open South-facing backyard porch

6.  Shady screened porch for Summer use

View a clip of Robert M. Cain, FAIA speaking about Greenprints

View the whole presentation