As you approach the home, you are welcomed by the expansive, covered greenstone porch. The front door opens to an inviting foyer with double door (natural Douglas fir) entrance to the living area. The first thing you will notice is the spacious kitchen/dining area with gorgeous black walnut cabinets (harvested from the property) with maintenance-free Albemarle County soapstone countertops. The large center island features a maple butcher block top. A massive natural stone fireplace with Jotul Scandinavian wood stove separates the dining and living areas. The interior flows naturally outdoors to the south-facing deck or the west-facing screen porch overlooking the pond. The main level laundry room, office, and master bedroom with en-suite bath and walk-in closet epitomizes the age in place functionality of the home. The second level offers 2 bedrooms, full bath, fully conditioned walk-in storage area, and insulated non-conditioned storage area. The basement houses the advanced mechanics of the home providing plenty of comfort and convenience while keeping the electric bill low (avg. under $100/mo). A rainwater system is connected to a 5000 gallon underground cistern serving 2 outdoor hydrants for the landscape and 7000 sq.ft. fenced organic fruit and vegetable garden. An attached oversized 2-car garage offers plenty of space for equipment storage and a workbench.

General

Passive solar green home built by Colin Anderson Construction

Occupancy permit was issued June 2009

Architecturally designed specifically for the site

Approximately 2,691 sq ft of finished living space (1768 sq ft main floor, 923 sq ft 2nd floor) per architectural drawing

3 bedrooms and 3 baths on 2 floors with a full basement

Two second floor bedrooms with a full bath and shower/tub enclosure

Extensive climate-controlled storage areas on the second floor

Large unfinished, unconditioned space above the garage

Approximately 900 sq ft unheated but insulated attached 2 car garage with two insulated garage doors and a built-in workbench

Full unfinished walk-out basement with plenty of natural light and roughed-in bathroom plumbing

Built-in workbench, shelving, in-house Nutone vacuum vented outdoors

Wide stairway with landing to the basement

Designed to age in place with first floor master suite, laundry, 36 wide doorways, wide hallways, lever-style door handles, walk-in showers with grab bars, and all drawers in lower kitchen cabinets for ease of access.

Construction Features

Architectural cementitious lap siding and shakes on the exterior (Nichiha). Recently painted in 2020.

Rain Screen design prevents water infiltration

Borate treated wood inhibits mold, mildew, and insects

Poured concrete walls in the basement

Loewen gas-filled insulated casement windows and doors, including UV protective coating. Windows feature a metal-clad exterior and natural Douglas fir interior frames.

Front porch with greenstone paving on the north side of the house for summer enjoyment

Natural stone retaining walls with built-in lighting adjacent to the surface-treated/gravel driveway and along two areas on the south side of the house.

Standing seam Energy Star metal roof with ice guards feeds a 5000 gallon underground cistern serving two outdoor frost-free hydrants, one in the landscape bed and one in the vegetable garden.

South-facing deck and west-facing screened porch of maintenance-free ipe wood. Porch overlooks the half-acre stream-fed pond with dock and has been stocked with large-mouth bass.

HVAC, Energy Efficiency, Utilities

2 x 6 exterior framing containing 5.5 of blown-in open-cell foam insulation. Open-cell foam is also utilized in the basement ceiling and against the roof sheathing to foster a thermal envelope design. This results in all interior spaces being conditioned.

Geothermal ground-loop HVAC.

ERV heat exchanger recovers 80% of heat or A/C while providing fresh air.

Energy-saving LED canister lights throughout the kitchen/living areas.

15 gpm 400 ft deep well with a water filtration system and neutralizer.

PEX plumbing.

Passive radon mitigation.

Appliances all Energy Star rated wherever possible.

Jotul Scandinavian wood stove in the living room surrounded by natural stone veneer thermal mass which separates the dining area from living area.

Electrical service 400 amp.

Built-in security system with smart home capability.

Stand-by 17 kW Kohler generator with 500 gallon underground LP tank.

Hybrid hot water tank (new in August 2021)

Interior

Built for excellent indoor air quality. All low VOC paint and formaldehyde-free materials.

Designed for natural daylighting.

First floor ceilings are 9 feet.

Porcelain tile and locally sourced red oak random width flooring.

Black walnut lumber from the property has been used for kitchen cabinets, island base, decorative beam, mudroom coat rack/shelf, mantle, and living room built-in entertainment center/bookcases with adjustable shelves.

Reclaimed oak barn wood from the property is used for office built-ins, bath vanities, custom mirrors, master bath linen cabinet, and wainscoting along the stairway to the second floor.

Maintenance-free Albemarle County soapstone (Alberene) countertops in the kitchen and two downstairs baths.

Custom designed walk-in closet as part of the first floor master suite wing, lined with locally sourced red cedar.

Kitchen pantry with built-in adjustable shelving.

All solid-core interior doors, first floor all-natural Douglas fir

Insulated exterior doors.

Open kitchen/dining area with large maple butcher block top on the island

Master bath walk-in shower features maintenance-free cultured marble walls/pan.

Upstairs bath vanity countertop is made from maintenance-free cultured granite with an integral sink.

Property and Landscape

111.528 acres with road frontage access.

Approximately 87 acres in mixed mature hardwood forest.

Two creeks flow through the property and ultimately feed into Ivy Creek.

Apart from one acre containing the residence, the remainder of the property is in land use for forestry and wildlife.

1,721 feet (0.326 miles) of road frontage along Coffee Rd

Approximately 7000 sq ft fenced organic vegetable/fruit garden with electrical service.

Extensive native plant landscaping for pollinators and wildlife.

Landscape Narrative

The property has been landscaped to promote wildlife resources from early spring through winter. Native spring ephemerals such as trillium, bloodroot, phlox, and wood poppies begin blooming early in the season, followed by trees like red oak, dogwood, and tulip poplar. Spicebush and fothergilla feed early pollinators such as native bees and serve as host plants for native butterfly caterpillars, then give way to summer wildflowers like bee balm, joe pye weed, milkweed species, and black-eyed Susans. Autumn features acorns from oaks, beech nuts, viburnum fruits, and late pollinator favorites such as goldenrod species and asters. Winter blossoms of two types of witch hazel feed insects in the coldest months. In addition, seed heads are left standing through the winter. This provides food for winter birds as well as an overwintering habitat for native insects. Open fields are only mowed once each year in the late winter so as to avoid disturbing spring ground-nesting birds, such as American Woodcocks.

These efforts are aimed at supporting pollinators, insects, caterpillars and their subsequent butterflies, as well as other forms of wildlife. Native plants, once established, require no supplemental watering or fertilizers. Over 130 species of birds have been documented on the site, and there is an established Purple Martin colony. Wood Ducks routinely seek out the nest boxes bordering the pond. Deer and turkeys abound, as well as assorted reptiles and amphibians. The establishment of a native plant landscape has resulted in an increasing diversity of wildlife with each passing year.