"A Pretty Good House"

A "Pretty Good House" Without The Fuss

Comfort, Style, and Liviability Done Simply

A Pretty Good House is comfortable in every way without being too fussy. The secret to the home's liveable is some extra insulation and tight sealing to stay warm and prevent drafts. A super energy-efficient heat pump that heats and cools, paired with heat recovery ventilation (HRV), provides fresh air.

The simple traditional farmhouse is the home you want to live in.  

The pretty good house approach is a design philosophy that aims to create energy-efficient, comfortable, and durable homes without relying on complex or expensive technologies. The concept was developed by a group of architects, builders, and engineers who wanted to find a balance between conventional construction practices and the high-performance standards of the passive house approach. In this blog post, I will explain the pros and cons of the pretty good house approach and how it can benefit homeowners and the environment.

Pros of the pretty good house approach:

PGH is flexible and adaptable. The pretty good house approach does not prescribe a specific set of rules or criteria but rather encourages designers and builders to use their judgment and creativity to achieve the best results for each project. The approach can be applied to different climates, site conditions, budgets, and aesthetic preferences.

PGH is cost-effective and practical. The pretty good house approach focuses on using simple and proven strategies to reduce energy consumption and improve indoor comfort, such as insulation, air sealing, ventilation, orientation, shading, and windows. These measures are relatively easy to implement and do not require expensive or specialized equipment or materials.

A Simple Home with Exterior Shades

PGH is environmentally friendly and resilient. The pretty good house approach reduces the environmental impact of buildings by minimizing the use of fossil fuels, water, and materials. It also enhances the durability and longevity of homes by preventing moisture problems, thermal bridging, and air leakage. The approach also makes homes more resilient to extreme weather events and power outages by providing passive heating and cooling and backup systems.

Cons of the pretty good house approach:

PGH is not standardized or certified. The pretty good house approach does not have a clear definition or a recognized certification program, which makes it difficult to compare or evaluate its performance and quality. It also leaves room for interpretation and variation, which can lead to inconsistency and confusion among designers, builders and homeowners.

PGH is not optimized or verified. The pretty good house approach does not use rigorous modeling or testing tools to optimize or verify the energy efficiency and comfort of homes. It relies on rules of thumb, experience and intuition, which can result in suboptimal or inaccurate outcomes. It also does not provide feedback or monitoring data to track or improve the performance of homes over time.

PGH is not ambitious or innovative. The pretty good house approach aims to achieve a reasonable level of performance, but not necessarily the best possible one. It does not challenge or push the boundaries of design and construction to achieve higher standards of excellence or innovation. It also does not incorporate or explore new technologies or solutions that could enhance the functionality or sustainability of homes.

Working together on a Pretty Good Home.

I hope this helps you simplify your approach to your new home. If you want a "Pretty Good House" design email me at info@plan.house.

Thanks for reading to the end,

Erik Ost, B Arch
Plan House, LLC
Owner/Designer