The climate of the Gund-Ream Ranch House is very demanding. Temperatures in the winter often dip to 40 degrees fahrenheit below zero, and summer temperatures commonly rise to above 95 degrees fahrenheit.
The Vital Signs Project: The Gund-Ream Ranch Case Study
You can find more info about the project and the architect at www.esarchitects.com.
| The Gund-Ream Ranch House was designed by
architect Edmund Stevens, Jr., and was built in
1991. The house was designed with no central
heating or air-conditioning. The intent was to let a
passive earth-sheltered design keep the house
comfortable, with a radiant floor heating system
providing heat during the long stretches of cold,
wintery days. The climate of the Gund-Ream Ranch House is very demanding. Temperatures in the winter often dip to 40 degrees fahrenheit below zero, and summer temperatures commonly rise to above 95 degrees fahrenheit. | |
| View of the entry in the Gund-Ream Ranch House |
Site Plan and Floor Plan of the Gund-Ream Ranch
This house is approximately 3000 square feet, with 2 baths, a main room, and two bedrooms. The
house is built with earth berm construction, and no basement. A large sunspace occupies most of the
south wall of the house, and clerestory windows wrap around the north wall. In the center of the
main room, an operable skylight balances the natural lighting to provide a pleasant main gathering
space for the residents.
"Chimney Effect" The large skylight offers a controllable amount of daylight to the center of the Gund-Ream Ranch House. The skylight is operable to offer a stack ventilation scheme in the summer, but what about the long cold winters? Does the skylight generate a "chimney effect" causing heat loss in the winter? |  |  |
| Skylight Detail | Section drawing of the Skylight |
| Passive Earth-Shelter Features The Gund-Ream Ranch House is designed primarily around an earth-sheltered design scheme. The roof is made up of about one foot of topsoil and four and a half inches of rigid insulation. An earth berm, ten inches of foundation wall, and one and half inches of rigid insulation make up the wall. Small clerestory windows penetrate the earth-sheltered wall cavity, which are double-paned low-E coated window units. With the added element of living earth added to this residential design, is there any thermal advantage to adding earth-sheltering. How does the building's earth-shelter features perform during the summer, and likewise in the winter? |  |
| Section detail of the roof - wall connection |
 | Radiant Floor Heating A heavy continuous floor slab covered with travertine tile was incorporated in the Gund-Ream Ranch House to act as a thermal mass, which works in conjuntion with a natural gas radiant floor heating system. The concept was to use the floor slab as a heat storage unit during the long, cold winters reducing the amount of cycles the heating system turns on and off. The radiant floor heating system uses water as the medium for trasporting thermal heat throughout the residence. |
| Looking toward one of the bedrooms, notice the contiuous floor slab |
 | Sod-Roof Drainage Severe weather conditions affect this sod-roof (high winds, heavy rains and moderate snow loads), therefore the roof edge has been modified from its original design. Another drainage factor is the area encompassing the skylight. Any opening within the roof presents drainage consideration and the skylight in this case presents it's own unique considerations. The connections and the manner in which they are sealed are critical both in heating and cooling as well as drainage. How does the as-built conditions of the sod-roof handle the severe weather conditions of the site?
|
| The termination of the roof edge |
Natural Daylighting Features
| The sunspace collects solar energy through southern and eastern vinyl framed glazing. On the south-east wall, there is 160 sq. ft. of glazing . There are numerous shading devices in place for the vertical glass. Light through the glazing can be moderated with translucent white blinds that operate from inside the sunspace. A large overhang prevents hot summer solar rays from penetrating the interior. The Gund-Ream Ranch House also uses its heavy tile floor as a thermal mass for limited solar heat storage in the winter. For summer, the building relies on the earth-shelter insulation (mean temperature - 50 degrees farenheit), thermal mass, and cross ventilation to keep the building cool. Does the incorporation of the natural daylighting create a comfortable interior environment? |  |
| Interior view of Gund-Ream Ranch House sunspace
showing the south-east wall (with glazing) |
The Natural Ecology
 | One of the most impressive features of the
Gund-Ream Ranch is its respect for the natural
ecology of the site. Ducks and geese drift in to the
neighboring ponds as if the site were their home as
well. Cattle winter on site long enough to knock
back the brush without severly tearing up the
banks of the pond. The architect (Edmund Stevens) calls his creation, " the art of transition". One walk around the site and you would know what he is talking about. A different mood exists there, a different feeling. The blending of the human habitat and the natural environment is very subtle in this case. Is the residence functional in relation to the needs of the homeowners? |
| View of the pond adjacent to the Gund-Ream Ranch House |
Comments to author:mose9231@uidaho.edu, wong9195@uidaho.edu