Haven Studio

Haven Studio is a small, solar-powered, net-zero energy, bio-based demonstration home wrapped in a highly-insulated and air-tight building envelop, with a simple iconic and familiar form.

Haven Studio was designed and built by students to educate our local community on net-zero energy design. Its highly-insulated and air-tight envelop, utilizing innovative continuous timber board insulation and quad-pane windows, is complemented by a mini-split heat pump and energy recovery ventilator. Its low energy load enables a twelve-panel solar array to produce more energy, annually, than the home consumes, with excess energy used to power an EV charger and an adjacent building.

The home’s narrow naturally-lit footprint reduces artificial lighting and minimizes material use. The roof slope is optimized for fixed solar panels while the well-insulated north facade is free of openings that might contribute to energy loss. The glazed south facade is protected by an overhang, enabling passive solar heating without overheating in the summer. The floor and walls were prefabricated to minimize material waste and maximize construction precision. Low-maintenance and primarily bio-based materials reduce embodied carbon.