Sweenor Builders is thrilled to have a feature project on the 40th season of This Old House. Tune in each week as we transform a 1920s Jamestown shingled cottage into a net-zero house for the 21st century! We’re also excited to announce that the 2018 Idea House in Narragansett will make its’ debut during the This Old House season premiere, with project updates throughout the season.
How to Watch:
Tune in to the season premiere on WGBH Boston Channel 2 at 8PM on Thursday, 10/4. Then, keep watching throughout the season on Thursdays at 8PM! Episodes air a second time on Saturdays at 4:30PM on Rhode Island PBS (channel 8 or 508 for Verizon or channel 8 or 1008 for Cox). Episodes can also be streamed through the PBS app on Apple TV and Roku boxes, or you can visit thisoldhouse.com/watch for frequent live streams. To find out when an episode will air in other areas of the country, click here and enter your zip code.
About the Net-Zero Project:
The Jamestown project showcases the latest in sustainability, technology, and building practices with a net-zero home designed by Rhode Island Architect Donald Powers for his own family. Mr. Powers and his wife Dana understood that the nearly 1,000- square-foot bungalow that they were purchasing in Jamestown, Rhode Island was in rough shape. As the founder of Union Studio Architecture & Community Design, a Providence-based firm focused largely on the design of sustainable communities, Don envisioned doubling the living space of the original cottage, creating an open floor plan for his family of four, and introducing new mechanical systems — all while maintaining the home’s neighborly scale.
The project was selected by This Old House for its many challenges. The extensive renovation preserves the architectural charm of an island cottage while introducing game-changing technology to make the home net-zero – a building standard that dictates that a house uses only as much energy as it can produce. Constructed by Sweenor Builders, the home features energy-saving and energy-producing technology including photovoltaic solar panels, a heat-recovery HVAC system, layers of insulation, Energy Star appliances, triple-glazed argon-filled windows, and LED lighting. “The house has always been our main character on This Old House, and we wanted this house to be a beautiful, lean, mean energy machine,” says This Old House senior producer John Tomlin.
To learn more, download “Little Green Giant,” an article published in the October issue of This Old House Magazine.
About the 2018 Idea House:
This Old House teamed up with Sweenor Builders for a second time to build the one-of-a-kind home on Robinson Street in Narragansett’s historic pier. The is the fourth annual Idea House from the trusted home renovation brand to showcase the from-the-ground-up building process with innovative products and how-to instruction that home enthusiasts can incorporate into their own remodels and new-builds.
Designed by the award-winning, Providence-based Union Studio Community Architecture & Design, the 2,700-square-foot cottage has classic Craftsman-style curb appeal and modern looks inside. Located less than a mile from the town beach, it epitomizes what buyers are looking for today: a smaller home that lives large in a tight-knit neighborhood, plenty of bespoke built-ins, luxury amenities including a home gym, dedicated media room and butler’s pantry, and an easy-care backyard designed for “staycation” living. Kristen Martone, Sweenor’s in-house designer and owner of Graceke Design, led Interior Design for the project.
Download “Beach-town Bungalow” for a closer look at the build.
Let Us Know What You Think:
We invite you to follow us, and both projects, on Instagram or Facebook to continue the social conversation using #TOHJamestown and #TOHIdea2018House.