Ash Point Cabin fulfills a desire to construct a super-insulated, high performance house using the most advanced building techniques while creating a comfortable, beautiful cabin that sits lightly on the land. By building to Passive House standards, the cabin will maintain a comfortable, 68 degree, draft-free indoor environment with minimal use of the wood stove or air-source heat pump. A Zehnder ComfoAir 200 ventilation system guarantees continuous fresh air with heat recovery.
The site is a cove-front piece of property in Mid-Coast Maine. Being a previously undeveloped site, it was our intent to be highly selective in the removal of trees and limit the area of disturbance. This approach informed the design of the house foundation: excavation and concrete were avoided, and the use of helical piles allowed the cabin to be tucked in among the mature trees.
The main elements of the building were fabricated off-site in the controlled environment of EcoCor LLC. The floor and wall components arrived at the site on a flatbed truck and were craned into place and assembled in a matter of days. The 16 – 24” thick exterior envelope is insulated with dense pack cellulose insulation and Roxul; the use of foam products is reduced to the absolute minimum possible. Wall insulation values are approximately R-56; floor and roof are R-80 and above.
Wherever possible materials were sourced from Maine forests: exterior siding is Eastern White Cedar, with Hemlock porch posts; interior floors are Ash; interior walls are Eastern White Pine. A stone tile entry way and woodstove hearth is made from Englishman’s Bay granite.
The cabin interior is simple: one bedroom, one bath, a combined Kitchen/Living space which opens onto a Screened Porch, and a loft open to the Living space below. Interior area is just over 800 square feet.
Architects
George Penniman Architects LLCConsultants
Anne Penniman AssociatesEcoCor LLC
Luke Cellier, Creative Carpentry
