Sustainable Design in New England

Sustainability

At Polhemus Savery DaSilva Architects Builders we have a broad and inclusive design philosophy that includes a commitment to an ethic of thoughtful sustainability. We are fortunate to be working in a place with a beautiful and valuable natural and built context. We believe we have a responsibility to understand, respect, and produce sustainable additions to that context. We promote this ethic with our clients--and this has lead to their increased willingness to accept the sustainable approaches to context, siting, light, durability, and conservative use of resources that are primary principles in our design and construction philosophy.

We are also deeply committed to an aspect of sustainability that is much harder to quantify but is equally important. For a building to be truly sustainable--to be useful and beloved through generations--it has to be based on more than merely fashion or adherence to a certification system. In addition to being worthy on technical and functional grounds, if it isn’t beautiful, it isn’t sustainable.

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Green Building Practices with which Polhemus Savery DaSilva has Experience:

  • Contextual responses that insist on improving rather than detracting from the environment, both natural and built. This is contextualism based on studying true natural and historic patterns; contextualism based on appropriate responses to surroundings rather than on superficial nostalgia
  • "Tight house" detailing with fresh air intake for healthy indoor air quality.
  • Super-insulated building envelopes and the prevention of thermal bridging.
  • Low-emissivity, triple-pane, and impact-resistant glazing.
  • Energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems and appliances.
  • Emphasis on materials from renewable, recycled, and local sources.
  • Emphasis on durability in materials and detailing.
  • Appropriate solar orientation for passive solar heat gain in the winter.
  • Appropriate orientation to the wind.
  • High wind detailing and structural design.
  • Overhangs, tree placement or other shading devices to shield summer heat gain.
  • Life cycle analysis of materials and systems.
  • Job site recycling and waste minimization programs.
  • Nitrogen removing septic systems; composting and incinerating waste disposal systems; liquid, solid, and gray water waste separation systems.
  • Photovoltaic solar and wind turbine on-site electrical generation as well as on site solar hot water heating.
  • Underground rain water collection for irrigation.
  • Wetland and coastal bank protection and restoration.
  • Use of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Energy Star, and other "green" rating or building systems.
Polhemus Savery DaSilva