We believe that aesthetics alone do not create great architecture.  Architecture is a functional art at its core, and thus a building must be as functional as it is attractive. Part of this functionality is being efficient with space, materials, and energy to create a building that will stand the test of time, not to be useful just today but also in 100 or 300 years.

Project Types

Nelson Labbe,  October 2016
Building this very energy efficient home was a major effort for everyone involved, especially for our architect Peter Henry. 
After designing the house to superinsulated and energy-conserving Passive House requirements, he spent time every week during construction to meet with the contractor and sub-contractors to alert them about nuances in the design and to review their work and answer questions as they came up. Nuances included things such as 6 inches of insulation under the basement slab, using gaskets to air seal under the sill plate, using special tape to seal all sheathing joints and penetrations, calculating the actual heating and cooling loads, designing an energy efficient ventilation system, specifying energy efficient triple pane windows, and specifying multipoint locks on all door to ensure a good air seal around each door. Those are just a few of the many energy efficiency details. Even though the house is completely powered by electricity the monthly energy bill is zero after the addition of 18 solar PV panels. 
The many windows convey much natural light to the interior all year long while the design minimizes heat from direct sunlight during the hot summer months. The indoor air comfort of this house is truly amazing. No drafts or cold spots during the winter in this house. No hot spots and no high humidity during the summer. The ventilation system provides continuously filtered fresh air. 
The two story space of the dining room is the center of the house and makes it a special space. On the exterior the wide roof overhangs and trim details give the house nice character. 
Peter has provided dozens of tours of the house to local county officials, Passive House people, students and the general public in an effort to promote energy efficient and resilient construction.

Jane Hilder,  October 2016
We did an addition on an existing older house to get a larger dining room, a garage, study and sunroom. We were very pleased with how well this architect listened to what WE wanted. He asked good questions and was able to make constructive suggestions, showing us on his computer what three possible iterations were that sounded like what we might want. That made it pretty easy to choose from the options. We ended up excited about the plans he came up with, and now very happy with the result. It cost a bit more than we initially wanted to spend, but we made those choices because we were so pleased with what we were getting.

Alison Sigethy  December 2016

My husband and I live in a little historic row house. I've always loved the house, but it just felt too tight. 
We hired Peter with the idea of doing some basic modifications. While he said he could do that, he suggested a more major modifications that totally transformed the house. (His ability to get maximum use out of every little space is amazing.) 
We went with the larger plan, and couldn't be happier. The house does not feel small at all now! Peter is easy to work with, has a great sence of space, and is incredibly thorough. Highly recommended.

Josh W. from Seminary Hill October 2019
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We used Peter to design a unique porch and loft addition to our home and were very happy with his designs, process, and the end product. Peter worked to answer all of our questions and to obtain all the necessary engineering calculations for our GC. He was one of the few architects we spoke with who was interested in helping to maximize energy efficiency in our design.

Dan Williams January 2014
Peter put our goals first and was always willing to listen as the complex rennovation project evolved. Peter provided guidance during the project concept and schematic design phases, which carried through to final permit drawings, and a major plan revision made at owners request. Significantly rennovating an existing house envelope, structure and interior while preserving original floors, beams and other elements presented both opportunities and challenges. Addressing these challenges required flexibility and successful communication between owner, architect and contractor. The overarching program and project objectives were achieved as a result.

David and Tracy Lattimore June 2014

Peter is a gifted architect and expert environmental consultant. He's independent (can work with a range of different builders), works quickly, is diligent in researching details, and a distinguished passive house and green architect. Whether you are designing a new home, building an addition, or looking to make your home more environmentally friendly, we would highly recommend Peter. Peter is able to translate a high-level vision for a property - in our case designing a custom addition, with a deep knowledge of engineering, structural design, and material selection. Beyond the steps of design, Peter provided onsite consultation and ensured the green aspects of the home were properly executed by sub-contractors who did not always have familiarity with the green materials. We appreciate this review may come across a little over the top ...we're just that satisfied with Peter's combined approach and feel passionately about the value and expertise he brings to a project. As an aside, we appreciated that Peter contributes to the community as a professor as well as participating in local environmental group meetings.

We are happy to discuss the details of our project for anyone considering working with Peter.

Alexandria Virginia

 

Telephone:   571-278-5548

Email: pgharchitecture@mac.com