For more information, Tom Moore Builder Inc. can be reached at P.O. Box 131, Underhill Center, Vt., 05490. Call (802) 899-2354, (802) 899-2376, or visit www.tommoorebuilder.com.
MORRISONVILLE — When Dr. Curt Snyder was a teenager growing up in Underhill, Vt., working for home builder E.T. Moore and Son, he never imagined he'd some day live in an award-winning house built by the company of his former boss.
But that unlikely prospect became a reality when the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Northern Vermont, a local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders and Remodelers, awarded Tom Moore its Gold Award for Best Green Features for new construction for Snyder's newly constructed home on Solar Way in Morrisonville.
"It's just something I wanted to do for 20 years," Snyder said of the construction of his highly energy efficient and environmentally conscious new home. Both the economic benefit of saving utility costs with solar generation of electricity while utility rates rise and his strong environmental views played a part, he said.
"The house we lived in was a typical subdivision home," he said of the last residence he shared with his wife, Michele. That home was not at all oriented to the environment. "You had to turn the lights on to read during the day," said Snyder, a radiologist with Associates In Radiology on Route 3 in Plattsburgh.
Now, not only is his 3,500-square-foot home the most energy efficient ever constructed by Moore, it features his custom manufactured, detailed woodworking including stairs, cabinetry, built-in furniture and wood wall treatments. It is sited for optimal passive solar heating in winter and has substantial overhangs for passive summer shading.
The environmental features include 5,000-kilowatt solar photovoltaic panels on the roof for electricity and additional solar arrays for hot-water needs. The system contains a 900-gallon storage reservoir in the basement and is topped off by a solar-heated in-ground swimming pool.
"We were looking for some land to do something like this," Snyder said of his new location. In addition to a good southern exposure, the Snyders have a view of the Adirondacks they can enjoy from their large, screened-in porch.
A centrally located masonry biomass heater radiates heat from large red-marble surfaces and is also tied to the radiant floor-heating system. A heat-recovery unit is needed due to the superior air sealing of the house to ensure property humidity and air quality. It heats the incoming air with the outgoing air to reduce energy loss.
Closed-cell spray foam is used throughout the house for a superior insulating value. "There aren't any drafts," Snyder said. "It's comfortable all the time."
Highly efficient, triple-glazed casement windows are installed throughout, and doors also have triple glazing. Built-in blinds are used for solar shading. The roofing is recycled plastic synthetic slate shingles to promote long life, and siding is composite cement, which is rot-resistant and holds paint well for durability. An air-breather drainage plane is installed behind the siding to increase longevity by ensuring proper drainage of water and vapor.
"We had wanted to build his green dream home," Moore said of the Morrisonville project. "Before we owned the company, when my dad had the company, he (Snyder) worked as a carpenter on our crew."
Moore, who employs 10 to 14 workers, builds homes throughout Vermont, sometimes as many as three at once, and often travels much farther. He likes to focus on high performance, low maintenance and energy efficiency, something that's always been an interest.
"We were doing foam in our box sills 35 years ago," he said, adding that he uses non-pressure-treated lumber and recycled materials. "We never skimped on insulation or window or door performance. We were state-of-the-art builders at the time."
Moore is also especially proud of using wood siding from the surrounding area and other local products whenever possible. In a house he's building for his son, he's using seven varieties of trees logged and sawed on the property.
Moore's enterprise is a third-generation business. "My two sons are in it with me now," he said.
Moore is also proud of his remodeling and woodworking skill, including cabinets, libraries, entertainment centers, floors and built-in furniture. He has a full workshop in Vermont with two or three full-time employees.
In addition to this and other detail work, kitchens are a specialty. He's done business as far away as Florida, building furniture and cabinets, shipping them and then flying someone down for assembly.
"We'll go all over the east coast if it's a good project," he said. "Our company has about 15 awards of excellence in building and remodeling."
While he's done articles for trade magazines and prototypes, constructing the Snyders' house was especially rewarding because they share his values. The elements of natural wood are everywhere, and the interior boasts a large library with two walls devoted to bookshelves, built-in desks and dressers and kitchen cabinets of cherry and tiger maple.
"His aim was to have super high performance, low maintenance and low impact on the environment," Moore said. "He drives a Prius. His road is Solar Way. He was very passionate about that."
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