Paxson Fay

It was designed to suit the area’s unique climate and surroundings.

Written by Sarah Yang December 18, 2024

Brooklynites Ryan and Margo Reynolds had a couple of requirements when it came to building a second home in Montana. They wanted to be close to Bozeman, and they had specific criteria for the distance from “town” and the airport, views, privacy, and quality of the landscape. The couple sought out Love Schack Architecture before they even found a lot to build on, which proved helpful as the firm helped them compare available build sites that met their needs.

“This ultimately led to them committing to the lot in Bridger Canyon,” says Lindsay Schack, principal at the firm. “It was helpful, of course, that their very close friends had just purchased a building site in the canyon and there was a lot available next door.”

The biggest goal of all, though, was the couple wanted their home to meet Passive House standards, which the Love Schack team and builder CWJ & Associates have a lot of experience in. If you’re not familiar with passive homes, they are airtight, insulated buildings that can maintain a comfortable thermal temperature with little energy input. Lindsay says this is achieved through the calibration of five principles: airtight building envelopes; thermal bridge-free design (no leaks at joints or corners); building assemblies that have insulation amounts that respond to the climate (this is more for cold climates; balanced ventilation with Heat Recovery, and high-performance windows and doors (high solar gain, low transmission heat losses).

“The design process is not that different from any typical home, with the additional layer of energy modeling and confirmation that the assemblies, windows and doors, and mechanical systems are properly sized and will result in a building that needs very little energy from the grid to keep the interior around a comfortable 68°F–70°F while providing constant fresh air to the interior,” Lindsay explains. “The build process is perhaps the most crucial and different, but only because of the importance of working with a knowledgeable contractor who can sequence the work and carry out the design intent. Building a passive house is meticulous when it comes to installing the air control layers of the assembly, so it requires care and attention.”

Montana’s climate zone does provide a challenge when designing a passive home. Lindsay says that the goal when designing is to prevent adverse effects in the home when the outside temperature is very low, like -15°F, and the interior temperature is 70°F, because this type of scenario can result in condensation forming on the windows or walls if the assembly is leaky. The condensation might then contribute to mold growth and unhealthy indoor air.

“When we have robust assemblies, and the airtightness of it prevents the thermal transfer through the assembly, we can avoid this moisture problem,” Lindsay says. “The method, however, works very well in our region as we have lots of sun all year, which helps to balance out the energy needed on cloudy days or long stretches of stormy weather. If the power were to go out, this home would stay consistently warm enough for comfort for several days.”

After the lot was chosen and secured, the Love Schack team knew the design of the home not only had to meet the performance standards of a Passive House, but also aligned with the couple’s other goals and took advantage of the dramatic views of the Bridger mountains to the west and north. The clients were very involved in the design and brought plenty of inspiration and ideas to the meetings—their home in Brooklyn was a Passive House, so they were very familiar with the method.

Lindsay says early on in the process, the Love Schack team conducted a site analysis that took into account the site features, solar exposures, the wind and snow landing, and major views. From that, they were able to proposed the best location and overall vantage points.

“Given the dense row of pine trees to the west of the lot and across the road, we wanted to site the house to take advantage of the mountain views, which become more open once you are on the second and third floors of the home while making sure we did not overexpose the home to solar gain from the west in the summer months,” Lindsay adds.

The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom home was designed to house the owners’ family, while also having room for additional guests. As you enter the home, you’ll go through the main entry, which has a mudroom that’s spacious enough to hold winter sports equipment. Next to the mudroom are a laundry room and storage room; a two-car garage is adjacent. There is also a bunk room, shared full bathroom, and private bedroom with a bathroom on the other side of the first floor.

Upstairs from the entry is the main level of the home, which houses the living room (with sweeping views of the Bridger Mountains), kitchen, dining room, powder room, and media room.

“Each of these rooms celebrates framed views of the trees, the mountains, and the meadow below the home to the east,” Lindsay says. “On the western side of the living room, there is a large covered deck, gas fireplace, and spa. The long-span roof protects an entertaining and lounge area that will be convenient for the owners during the months of heavy snowfall.”

The top floor contains two private suites with bathrooms—one facing the north and one facing the south. “Having gone on vacations with friends and family in the past, they wanted to avoid the rush to ‘claim the best room’ when visiting, thus the choice to create dual primary suites, each with its own views and balconies,” Lindsay says of her clients’ design choice.

The finished design is a marvel, and as of this writing, it is currently in review for official Passive House certification with Phius (preliminary assessments give a positive outlook!). But outside of waiting for certification, the home has proven to be an example of the method for other designers, architects, and builders. “This home has been able to serve as a demonstration tool to many of our peers in the construction trades and the owners have been generous with allowing access to the home for tours and visits to share about its benefits,” Lindsay adds.

Most importantly, the clients are very happy with their new home. “They are eagerly awaiting their return for the ski season,” Lindsay says. “The owners were heavily involved in selections for the interiors of the home, wanting a clean modern look that was also durable and not too precious. They are overjoyed at the space and are looking forward to hosting their first holiday season with family.”