While Ella Wong and Randy Hayslip’s Southeast home, dubbed TrekHaus, may not be the final frontier of energy efficient housing, it does boldly go where many green buildings have yet to venture. Their Passive House certified duplex is all-electric, using no fossil fuels at all. With a photovoltaic system on the roof, the house is also outfitted with features such as triple-glazed windows that conserve energy and keep the interior at a comfortable, consistent temperature. Although the home was designed to be simply net-zero, in their first year of living there, they generated enough excess energy – 1520 kWh – to donate to Portland General Electric’s low income assistance program.
“Our house is designed to be net-zero with 3 occupants,” Ella Wong said. “Since we are two occupants in the house, we expected to be a little net-positive. Still, it was a thrill to be able to donate our excess electricity generation.”
This house is not Wong and Hayslip’s first trek into energy efficient homes. They lived in two other Portland homes before this one – a remodeled bungalow in Ladd's Addition and a new LEED Gold apartment on the Park Blocks downtown. Thanks to TrekHaus’ energy-efficient features, they are much more comfortable in their new home, and very pleased with the opportunity to donate their excess electricity. However, Wong and Hayslip are not interested in the energy efficiency of homes like theirs alone, but also in their affordability. With the help of their architect and building contractor, Rob Hawthorne of PDX Living, they were able to keep the cost of their duplex down to $150 per square foot, not including the cost of the land and the photovoltaic system.
“We hope our duplex project is an example and learning experience for others,” Wong said. “We are interested in learning ways to reduce building costs in such homes, so that high performance homes can be cost-competitive and affordable.”
Not only is their home contributing to the community with its excess electricity, but it is also certified as a Passive House, and as an EA Platinum home. Wong and Hayslip hope that their home could serve as a model for others hoping to create energy-efficient homes and lessen their negative impact on the environment.
“We hope to set an example,” Wong said. “Certification shows we are serious about reducing our footprint.”