A Closer Look

The CharityWorks GreenHouse’s living spaces include an expansive great room with an open kitchen, a private library, and a retreat that can be used as a gym, spa or just a place to get away and relax. A first floor master bedroom suite plus three additional bedrooms make it a wonderful family home with ample room for guests.

Office and study space, a wine cellar, and a media room round out the approximately 3,800 s.f. of livable space—substantial, but significantly smaller than other new houses in the neighborhood.

The house includes a geothermal system for heating and cooling, a solar hot water system, and photovoltaic panels to generate electricity on-site. The design and site plan have been subjected to extensive energy modeling to position the house on the site and to incorporate architectural elements which maximize thermal efficiencies. Natural light floods the home, and large windows add an extra dimension of openness and connection with the surrounding gardens and streetscape.

The walls and roof of the house are insulated through a Structural Insulated Panel System (SIPS) that often doubles the R-factor required by local building codes. The house also treats water as a precious resource. The design includes low-flow fixtures as well as a rain water capture and recycling system. A green roof further enhances the positive environmental impact of the home.

The house is projected to use 70-80% less energy per square foot than a comparable new home. Any remaining power required to operate the home will be purchased as “clean” power from the local utility provider. As a result, the home will be carbon neutral from the standpoint of the family’s day-to-day living, and the location of the home in downtown McLean with easy access to the Metro transportation network reduces even further the total carbon footprint of the family living here.

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