To design a net-zero-energy home first you start with orientation. Since most of the lots face west on the street side, this means that the front of the house would be narrow, with the long side of the house facing south – in a passive solar orientation in Central Illinois, you would want about 50% of the windows in the house on the south side. Since a 2 story house is more efficient, because heat rises and more than half of the energy bill in our area is HVAC, a two story house uses the same heat twice, naturally. Overhangs are important, a two foot overhang over the south facing windows keeps the sun out of the house in summer and lets it in in winter. The covered front porch helps keep the hot western sun off the house and keeps it cooler in summer. All brick construction is essentially a double wall, the brick is the outer wall with an airspace between it and the framed wall of the house, which prevents most of the thermal bridging that occurs in a house with applied siding. The brick masonry is a tremendous advantage in comfort and energy savings, due to its massive qualities.
So in these plans, the two story simple plans and the Greek revival plan would be the most efficient and would require the least amount of solar panels to become net-zero-energy. The larger 2 story plans – the Victorians and the French Eclectic break a few rules of passive solar, including too many windows on the west side, but with some properly placed shade trees and insulating cellular window shades, it is possible. Those plans are also more expensive to build due the period details. I also try to keep large expanses of south facing roof planes to facilitate optimum orientation for roof-top solar. In the Midwest many people seem to prefer one story living and so I have developed a compromise – the bungalow plans and the partial second story plans. They do not have the benefit of using the heat twice over parts of the house, and so will be less efficient, would require more solar panels to reach net-zero-energy, but are a decent compromise, and would still be delightfully bright and comfortable.
The many features I design into my heirloom quality homes are found in classic old homes. Before the development of cheap gas-forced-air furnaces and air conditioning, or even before widespread use of electricity in homes, houses were built to work with nature to help keep the occupants comfortable. Over time, many of these lovely features have been dropped in favor of keeping prices down, but that is unfortunate. If you have ever enjoyed these pleasures of an old home you will miss them in typical new construction.
But not in the Brickhouses Road “Homes of the Past…For the Future“ plans. Windows on two side of the room, for better daylighting and cross ventilation, windows up high, not lined up with door heights. Tall, flat ceilings, with ceiling fans in every room, broom closets, substantial laundry rooms with large tubs, sometimes a second floor laundry as well, linen closets, built-ins, drop zones, grand front porches, up high so the basement windows will not need window wells (nothing but trouble there, and they are ugly). All hard floors, in floor hydronic radiant heat for comfort and for energy efficiency, forced air units sized for air conditioning for better, cool, dry air in summer. Main floor accessibility features for universal access. Sunrooms that face south with proper overhangs, window glass appropriate for which side of the house it is on to take advantage of winter solar heating but keep the heat out in summer. Pella lifestyle series aluminum clad wood windows, and a little bit of stained glass windows for colorful joy.

The exteriors of the homes on Brickhouses Road must be of the prescribed high quality, but the interior finishes are up to you. The two homes that we built here are of extremely high quality, top-of-the-line solar panels with integrated microinverters, top-of the line Geocomfort HVAC systems with multiple zones, with solid core doors, crystal doorknobs, high end appliances, brick walls on the interior and other wall treatments, all hard floors, including poured in place terrazzo, slate mosaic, brick, marble, and others. Fully tiled tub and showers, lots of moldings in every room, custom crafted beautiful stairways, but if you prefer less expensive options it is up to you. All the plans can be modified to your taste, or we can start from scratch and design just for you.
Are you ready to get started building your forever home? Call me, Debbie Insana at 217-841-8452.
If you build at Brickhouses Road, design work is free, I am a home designer and contractor liaison, I will help you find a builder and work with your builder to make sure these special features of your new home are properly constructed.

Won't you please, please won't you be my neighbor? - Fred Rogers