08.14.07
Decathlon Home Nears Completion
by ELLEN WALKER
Originally published in Summer 2007 edition of West VIrginia Builder

Some might characterize Berkeley Springs builder Mike McKechnie as a bit excessive, but those who know him know that he is driven by his passion for energy conservation and his social conscience.

For over 14 years, he and his brother Pete McKechnie have been building custom homes which feature energy efficient and environmentally eco-friendly products.

In the fall of 2005, the brothers joined with their good friend Larry Robinson to produce the UMass Solar Decathlon house and moved it from the Mall in Washington, DC to Pious Ridge Road in Berkeley Springs.

The plan was to connect the 800sq. ft. decathlon structure to an existing 2,000 sq. ft. farm house that was saved from demolition.  Phase 1 of the plan would make the smaller portion of the structure a fully functioning self-sustaining NetZero home that would serve as a research facility.  Phase II would be to make the old house a hybrid house with both conventional and renewable energy features.

Phase l is just complete. By the time this magazine is published, Mike McKechnie and his new bride will have moved into the smaller portion of the home.  During the next year they will monitor the systems of the house, keeping detailed records, while continuing to work on the older structure.  In the fall the house will become a working classroom with experts instructing the public in special programs regarding renewable energy and green building.

Many drawings were made before the final plans were completed.  The desire of the team was to “make the house look extremely normal, but to work better than a conventional home,” said McKechnie.

The position of the solar addition to the house was placed at a slightly different angle to take full advantage of the sun.  Extreme care was taken in the preparation of the foundation to fit the footprint of the decathlon structure, which was lifted by crane onto the foundation.  A breezeway connects the two structures.  Some of the house was reconfigured to make it look and feel more like a traditional house, said McKechnie.

One of the goals of the project is to use the house to show that green building techniques do not have to cost a lot of additional money, but can be a mainstream way of building homes.

The floors are heated with radiant heat.  The water heater and the floors will be powered by the solar panels on the roof.

Other features of the house include Bamboo flooring and carpet made from natural fibers with no harmful chemicals.  Eco-paint will be used for the walls and ceramic tile in the kitchen and bath.  The windows are Andersen windows and cement siding will be used on the outside walls.

All appliances are Energy Star rated and low-flow facets, shower fixtures and toilets are used to conserve water use.  The kitchen includes a Kenmore induction cook top.

The lower level of the home contains a heat exchange tank, controls for the radiant heat, the solar thermal battery and the controls for all mechanical systems.  There is room to expand systems as phase ll is brought on line.

Net meters were just recently introduced to West Virginia.  Because this home will produce more electricity than it needs to sustain itself, it will be returning electricity back to the electrical grid.  McKechnie anticipates that additional power will be produced with a wind generator, making the home a hybrid renewable energy system.