HUMAN FACTOR DESIGN: BUILDING WITH THE OCCUPANTS IN MIND.

In general home building, the process starts with a budget and square footage idea. Whatever falls within these parameters then gets built with only the standards of budget in mind.

When building with Human Factor Design, the occupants are thought of first: every time a person showers, where does the moisture go? When cooking, where do the chemicals escape? How does a house maintain heat while allowing pollutants to escape?

Sutter Homes builds with Human Factor Design as the first standard. This ensures that the home will be efficient, healthy, and well-built for the family that occupies it.

HUMAN FACTOR DESIGN MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Solar Geometry

Thermal Envelope

Ventilated Rainscreens

Thermal Envelope

The thermal envelope is what separates the air in your home from the air outside. By building a tight and efficient envelope, the air in your house will stay conditioned and heated longer and more efficiently.

net positive homes built by sutter homes in the durango area
Ventilated Rain Screens

By implementing ventilated rainscreens, your home remains tight with little conditioned or heated air escaping while allowing excess moisture to leave and not create mold and other complications.

ventilated rainscreens used for sutter homes in the durango area
Solar Geometry

Solar geometry focuses on architecture that interacts with the sun and building around the sun. This building science analyzes a home’s relation to the sun in its seasonal phases, angles, and how the sun affects the heating and cooling of a home. By optimizing heating, shading, and cooling with the natural resource of a sun, a home can become even more efficient. For more information and helpful podcasts, visit this link.

net positive homes built by sutter homes in the durango area

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT MAKES A HIGH PERFORMANCE HOME?

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT MAKES A HIGH PERFORMANCE HOME?

We are extremely pleased with our custom-built home by Sutter Homes. First and foremost, the energy efficiency of the home is exceptional. Last LPEA bill was $13.80 and the Atmos gas bill was $28. The Zehnder ComfoAir for air exchange works beautifully and makes for a very comfortable inside environment. At first there was a problem with condensation, which was remedied with an additional insulation sleeve. Our builder promptly took care of that issue. All in all, Mike was very accomodating in assisting us with changes and modifications in design and materials. We highly recommend Sutter Homes if you're looking for a quality home built with today's energy efficiency in mind.- Sandy F.
The first time I met Mike was at the job site of our future home that he built. It was very apparent to me that this construction was very different, and he proceeded to give me some information on his unique approach to energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction living. I spent the next day on the internet and became convinced that the SHC vision was what my wife and I wanted. I have never lived in a house that did not have hot/cold zones but have been very pleased how the Zehnder ERV system “evens out” the “climate” in our house. In combination with the air filtration with this system and the use of zone based mini-splits, my wife and I are very happy with this very different experience as compared to our hydronic base board heating system from our former house. We regard ourselves as earth-friendly, and our current house from SHC fits our perspective—the fact that our utility bills are nearly non-existent doesn’t hurt either! We have taken our lot to a xeriscape point and would add this to the environmental reduction impact that appeals to us. Love the instant hot water!!- Gary S.
We love our home. We knew we wanted a builder that would be intentional and smart in the design, as well as make it beautiful. All the small details - the window quality, the insulation, the air filtration system, the layout - all of it added up, and now we have a home that will require very little maintenance over the years and has very low utility bills. Such a house made it possible for us to live in this beautiful city. Thanks for making that happen Sutter Homes!!- Summer
When Sutter Homes Co declares their homes being Net Zero, they really are. Their HERS ratings back up their claims. We were far more impressed with this home that exceeded any of our expectations.- Gary & Lorie S.
Zindher air filtration system replaces the homes air several times hourly with outside air, geothermally preheated and filtered through a HEPA filter to remove outside contaminants. Indoor air is maintained fresh and completely free of Radon buildup. If you have severe allergies or asthma this system would be tough to beat. The home has been built to exceed building construction requirements for many years to come.- Doug C.
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