News
Shepherdstown to be home of first Phius design-certified passive house in the state
In June, Sean and Tracey Porter will be moving into their new home at 312 W. German St. in Shepherdstown. This home is special to them for a number of reasons, such as that it will be the first home they have built and that it will be in a walkable town that has already begun to feel like home to them. However, for the Porters, the most exciting thing about their new home will be the fact that it…
Architect talks how passive houses differ from typical American houses
Richard Pedranti Architect (RPA), a premier architecture firm pioneering energy-efficient architecture for modern living, has begun constructing the first Phius design-certified passive building in West Virginia, at 312 West German Street in Shepherdstown. The single-family passive home’s design was officially approved by the Passive House Institute U.S. (Phius) in Nov. 2024, under the Phius CORE 2021 Program. Gaining this certification and then having its completed construction approved by Phius this coming summer, according to RPA principal Richard Pedranti, is the…
Eastern Panhandle to be home of first Phius design-certified passive house in the state
In June, Sean and Tracey Porter will be moving into their new home at 312 W. German St. in Shepherdstown. This home is special to them for a number of reasons, such as that it will be the first home they have built and that it will be in a walkable town that has already begun to feel like home to them. However, for the Porters, the most exciting thing about their new home will be the fact that it…
Richard Pedranti Architect Designs West Virginia’s First Phius Design-Certified Passive House
Single-Family Home in Historic Shepherdstown, WV Achieves Phius CORE Design Certification Richard Pedranti Architect (RPA), a premier architecture firm pioneering energy-efficient architecture for modern living, now has under construction the first Phius Design-Certified passive building in the Mountain State. In November 2024, the Porter Residence, a single-family passive house located in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia received Design Certification under the Phius CORE 2021 Program. RPA designed the home to meet rigorous Phius energy standards. By achieving up to 80 to…
On the Market: Extremely Minimalist House Outside Nazareth
Why “extremely”? Because not just the aesthetic is minimalist; so are the electric bills, thanks to its high-performance passive-house construction. Are you one of those people who wants to live lightly on the earth but doesn’t want to give up all the trappings of civilization? If you are, and you love high modernist architecture, then this Nazareth passive house for sale has your name on it. As the photo above should make clear, this house truly stands out from the…
A Lesson in Collaboration
The house that Richard Pedranti designed for his friend Lawrence Mullane was in every sense a collaboration, as Mullane is not only the homeowner, but also the contractor who realized Pedranti’s design. It was a joint effort that employed Pedranti’s penchant for distinctive modern design while fulfilling Mullane’s wish for a traditional form of construction. Despite the contemporary glass-and-aluminum facade, the Mullane residence has the structural geometry of a barn. “That’s what Lawrence asked for,” says Pedranti. “A barn.” To…
NEW JERSEY PREFAB HOME PROVIDES PERFECT BEACH GETAWAY
The modern minimalist home highlights indoor/outdoor beach living. A retired couple from Brooklyn, New York, was looking to create a weekend retreat in the shore town of Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey. The solution, the Lang St. Marie Residence, is a prefabricated, net-zero home designed by Richard Pedranti Architect. Once the custom home design was translated to modeling software, panelized wall assemblies were created and transported from Maryland to New Jersey. Upon delivery, the elements were assembled on-site in just two weeks….
Jersey Shore Sustainable
A Passive House in Spring Lake Heights moves the building industry forward Imagine living in a comfortable, modern house with no cold drafts, no temperature variations from room to room, and virtually no heating or cooling bills. “It might sound too good to be true,” architect Richard Pedranti says, “but these pleasant conditions are the norm for people who live in a Passive House,” a building standard that emphasizes energy efficiency, comfort, health and long-term affordability. Pedranti’s award-winning Pennsylvania-based firm,…