Projects » LEED for Homes Certified » The LakeBridge Beach House

The LakeBridge Beach House

LEED for Homes Certified   Michigan

Builder:

Cottage Home

Location:

South Haven

Description:

The LakeBridge Beach House is absolute proof that sustainable building does not have to be a compromise. This outstanding Lake Michigan home was designed and built according to the owners’ desire to host and entertain many guests at once. Therefore, it needed, above all, to be durable and efficient.

To meet these needs, a zoned high efficiency forced air heating system was employed to most effectively condition air in areas of the home being used. There are three separate zones in the upper level, two on the main level and a couple more in the lower level. This ensures that the rooms in use are being conditioned, and those that aren’t can be turned off to save energy and promote efficiency. Also, sealed walls and high performance foam insulation were used to keep the air in. At the same time, advanced ventilation energy recovery ventilator systems were installed in lieu of bath fans, allowing the collection of stale air and pushing it outside, rather than bath fans simply exhausting conditioned air.

Also importantly, an advanced hot water distribution system was implemented with three tankless hot water heaters. Lots of guests means lots of hot water usage, and these three units are staged to fire only when demand requires, matching the demand exactly, and using nothing when vacant. Along the same lines, highly efficient plumbing and electrical fixtures were also installed to accommodate all of the use.

As a beach house with many visitors, the home definitely needed to be durable as well. For this reason, nearly all of the floors in the home are locally harvested quarter sawn white oak with a Greenguard® certified commercial grade finish; in other areas you’ll find either tile or natural slate. So, guests don’t have to worry about sand affecting the beauty of the floors as they run in from the beach, and at the same time the homeowners can feel good about the indoor air quality. Overall, it is a win-win and a great beach house that is sure to offer fun times and great memories for many years to come.