PLAN 497-18

This plan embraces high energy efficiency and modern simplicity. The house shape, location of windows and use of exterior window shading make this design optimal for southern exposure and passive solar heat gains in the cold winter months. An extra layer of rigid foam board insulation is applied to the outside face of the exterior wall to provide extra thermal resistance and significantly reduce wasted heat through thermal bridging. The simplicity of its form and use of modern cladding materials such as corrugated metal or fiber cement panels allows the Big Box Loft series of house designs to integrate well with a variety of lot conditions. As with many modern homes, this floor plan is very open. Upon entry you will encounter a large common room with many South facing windows and a double height loft space above. The master bedroom is on the first floor and towards the far end of the common room. The large sliders out to the deck provide a bridge between indoor and outdoor space. The use of materials in the kitchen such as glass tile backsplash, flush veneer cabinets, composite white countertops and stainless steel appliances provides a clean modern look. In the common room, a polished concrete floor is a great solution for a modern home design as it is durable, affordable and with radiant heating tubes imbedded into the concrete, can be very comfortable. The loft theme continues upstairs with a multi use open room that looks down upon the common room below. This area makes a great space for a home office or child’s play room. There are two bedrooms upstairs, a bath and a laundry closet.

• LEED for Homes Rating System: Guidelines to meet LEED for Homes certification levels of: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. LEED for Homes is a national, voluntary certification system, developed by national experts and experienced builders, that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes and encourages the adoption of sustainable practices by the homebuilding industry. The LEED for Homes Rating System is part of the suite of nationally recognized LEED Green Building Rating Systems administered by USGBC. Like all LEED Rating Systems, it is the market's leadership system, targeting the top 25% of home building practices in terms of environmental responsibility. LEED provides industry resources and tools on how to "green" any new home. With LEED, homebuilders can differentiate their structures as meeting the highest performance measures, and homebuyers can readily identify high quality green homes. LEED provides national consistency in defining the features of a green home, enables builders anywhere in the country to obtain a green rating on their homes, and assures homebuyers of the quality of their purchases, all based on a recognized national brand. Learn more about the LEED® Rating System here.
• Window shading details: External window shading devices are an effective method for reducing heat gains through windows during Summer. In fact, external shading devices can reduce heat gains by up to 80% if sized and built properly. With this in mind, the founders of Green Living, formerly Free Green, created this page to assist home builders in constructing effective window shading devices. The information we provide includes a zoning map of the United States, zoning charts for proper sizing of shading devices and a variety of shading device styles and materials to suite different tastes and different home designs.
• General Notes: Typically one sheet of general notes pertinent to the construction of the home
• Exterior Elevations: A blueprint picture of all four sides showing exterior materials and measurements.
• Foundation Plan: Drawn to 1/4" scale, this page shows all necessary notations and dimensions including support columns, walls and excavated and unexcavated areas. 
• Floor Plan(s): Detailed plans, drawn to 1/4" scale for each level showing room dimensions, wall partitions, windows, etc. as well as the location of electrical outlets and switches.
• Interior Elevations: Detailed drawings of kitchen cabinet elevations and other elements as required.
• Cross Section: A vertical cutaway view of the house from roof to foundation showing details of framing, construction, flooring and roofing.
• Wall sections and other construction details: Detailed drawings showing wall connections, from foundation to the roof. wall connections to foundation, window installation, siding installation, stair details, and more.
• Framing Plans: Drawn to 1/4" scale. The framing layout is intended to be a suggested layout only. Design loads & weather conditions vary by region. As a result the size, spacing & layout of all structural elements in this home design must be approved by a structural engineer and code official based on your specific site location prior to construction.
• Electrical Plan with electrical symbols legend: In general, each house plan set includes an electrical plan which will show the locations of lights, receptacles, switches, etc. Note: Most Green Living plans have an electrical plan, however some do not. Please contact us to verify.