In a tiny neighborhood, in a small village, in the northeastern tip of the county there's a little surprise awaiting those who like to go drive around and view houses all in the tidy circular package of Yosh Schulman's and Nili Simhai's abode.
The couple, in fact, are becoming known in the village as the pair with the round house. That round house is more than a mere design statement it also happens to be the first, and thus far only, Energy Star-rated home in Millerton.
"If you're going to put a new home into the world, do it the right way," Simhai said, adding that the pair originally wanted to buy an existing home to "recycle." Once it became obvious that purchasing a home might not be so simple the computer consultant (Schulman) and his wife, who teaches at the Teva Learning Center based out of New York City and Falls Village, Conn., set to learn about building an earth-friendly home.
"We set out to show people could make their home energy efficient," Simhai said. Those behind New York Energy Star Homes gave the pair high approval, for the building's environmentally friendly construction and energy efficiency. "To know with your home you're able to make the least toxic impact in the world [is rewarding]."
The whole point of getting the Energy Star rating, according to Senior Account Executive Gayle Dougherty, is to increase energy efficiency and cut down on household pollution during the life-span of the home. "New York Energy Star labeled homes use approximately 30 percent less energy compared to conventionally built homes," Dougherty explained. That usually means improved and increased insulation, high-performance windows and doors, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems and energy-saving appliances and lighting. To qualify theirs as a rated home Schulman and Simhai's house had to pass a stringent evaluation which included a computer-based energy analysis, inspection and certification testing.
Schulman said their house, because of its round floor plan, was a help in cutting down inefficient energy usage.
"Part of the round design is that it has a smaller footprint. The volume of a circle versus that of a square [is smaller]," he said. "You end up using less perimeter materials."
Yet the unusual home fits right in with its neighbors; the round habitat has 1,800 square feet of living space, on top of another 1,600 square feet of basement space. Vaulted ceilings and well-planned interior shapes add to the home's appeal, and its usage.
Some of the House's points:
Source: The Round House of Millerton
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