SIT QUIETLY

A modern twist on a classic form, the rotunda of the master wing serves as a private sitting area for the owners and the hub to the rest of the retreat. The room provides comfortable seating to enjoy a “dual hearth” of a flat-screen TV over a fireplace or just a quiet place to read. And, because the walk-in dressing room, bathroom, and sleeping quarters are all separate spaces spun off this center core, one partner won’t disturb the other on early mornings.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Spot Ventilation

The master bathroom features a recessed fanlight from Broan-NuTone (model #744SFL) installed directly over the shower. The flush-mounted unit features an adjustable humidity sensor to automatically activate its quiet, 70 cfm fan to exhaust moisture and turn it off when humidity levels moderate, saving energy while mitigating potential moisture problems. www.broan.com.

AT ISSUE: Fresh-Air Ventilation

Builders planning to follow the 2011 Energy Star Qualified Homes standard, which went into effect this month, will need to address fresh-air ventilation more aggressively to gain certification. In this home, a whole-house energy recovery ventilator (ERV) within the home’s central forced-air setup supplements spot (or local) ventilation in the laundry room, bathrooms, and kitchen. The ERV transfers the heat of exhaust air to the incoming fresh air to reduce energy demand while also providing a measure of dehumidification, an important feature for Florida’s climate. Combined, the home’s ventilation scheme meets the airflow (cfm) per-square-foot standards established in ASHRAE 62.2-2007, which the new Energy Star standards reference. The federal program boosted its ventilation standard in light of tighter building envelope requirements, which demanded a higher measure of controlled, balanced fresh air exchanges to maintain healthy indoor air.