[VIOLIN PLAYING] >> WHEN YOU COME HERE, WHEN YOU COME TO THE WOODS AND THE PONDS, YOU GET CONNECTED TO NATURE REALLY, TO LIFE.

IT'S JUST AN OPENNESS HAPPENS.

IT'S A -- [SIGHING] >> I REALLY, REALLY LOVE WALKING THIS LAND.

I JUST LOVE IT.

MY OWN ANCESTORS SPENT SOME TIME HERE.

THEY FIRST CAME OVER IN THE 1700s.

THEY WERE PRETTY EARTHY.

IT WAS A GREAT TEACHING FOR ME, YOU KNOW.

I'M JUST STARTING TO LEARN.

>> THE FUTURE OF BUILDING AND THE FUTURE OF QUALITY LIVING, IF YOU WILL, IS REALLY BASED ON WHETHER OR NOT WE GRASP AND EMBRACE TIMBER FRAMING AGAIN.

>> I FEEL AARON IS TRYING TO PRESERVE OUR CULTURE AND WHAT NEW ENGLAND HAS A LOT TO BE PROUD OF.

AND I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF NEW ENGLAND.

I WANT US TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT WAS A GREAT MODEL FOR OTHERS.

>> FEEL LIKE BUILDINGS IN THE U.S., THEY AREN'T PROBABLY AS EFFICIENT AS THEY COULD BE.

>> IT WOULD HELP MODEL SUSTAINABILITY, CONSERVATION.

>> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO IS LEAD BY EXAMPLE TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE OF A BUILDING BY 90%.

>> I HAVE EVER CONFIDENCE THAT THE TIMBER FRAMES COULD LAST FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

500 YEARS, A THOUSAND YEARS.

>> FOR US WE'RE THINKING OF THIS 50 TO 100 YEAR LOCK-IN OF PERFORMANCE.

>> MATT WITH HIS FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IS COMING FROM THE RESOURCE SIDE OF THINGS.

AARON AND HIS SENSIBILITIES ARE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF A STRUCTURE.

ITS ABILITY TO WITHSTAND THE TESTS OF TIME.

>> THAT'S EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGE I THINK FOR THE LEWIS GATHERING CENTER.

HOW DOES IT GET USED 200 YEARS FROM NOW.

>> ABOVE ALL THIS IS ABOUT COMMUNITY.

THIS PROPERTY IS ABOUT COMMUNITY.

CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

>> I TELL YOU, EVERYBODY THOUGHT THIS WAS CRAZY.

THEY REALLY NOT THIS WAS CRAZY.

>> BECOMING HUMAN, TRANSFORMING.

>> WE'RE WATCHING A WORLD THAT'S JUST SPLINTERING APART HERE.

HOW DO YOU CHANGE COMMUNITY?

HOW DO YOU MAKE A COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER?

>> WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A COMMUNITY OF FARMERS.

IT'S NEVER BEEN AN UPSCALE COMMUNITY.

PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY IS THE OLDEST PREPARATORY SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES.

THEY WANTED TO COME TO KENSINGTON IN THE 1700s.

LOCAL FARMERS WOULD NOT LET THEM BECAUSE THEY FEARED THE BOYS WOULD STEAL THE APPLE FROM THEIR ORCHARDS.

THAT IS KENSINGTON.

>> I WAS ON THE PLANNING BOARD FOR 0 YEARS.

I'M INVOLVED WITH THE CHURCH ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS.

WE'LL WORK WITH THE LIBRARY.

YES, I'M COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN THE TOWN AND ITS OPERATIONS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES IN KENSINGTON THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED IN OVER 60 YEARS.

INCLUDING ALAN'S GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE.

>> MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD SAY, COME ON OUTSIDE, IT'S 8:00 AT NIGHT.

SMELL THE OZONE!

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT OZONE WAS, BUT I KNOW THE AIR SMELLS GREAT.

>> HE BOUGHT THE TRAVEL AGENCY IN 1986.

IT BECAME SUCCESSFUL RATHER QUICKLY.

>> I BELIEVE HARRIET AND I HAVE BEEN ON THIS CRAZY JOURNEY SINCE THE EARLY '70s.

IT WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THIS TOWN AND THIS PLACE THAT WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> ALAN AND I AND OUR FAMILY, WE'RE VERY INVOLVED IN A LOT OF NONPROFIT WORK.

PARTICULARLY AROUND LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR NONPROFIT LEADERS.

WE ALSO DO LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES BUT A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO BUSINESS.

A DIFFERENT, MORE HEARTFELT, MORE THOUGHTFUL, MORE HUMAN WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS.

I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL.

>> THIS YEAR WE'LL HAVE OVER 300 DAYS UP HERE.

>> BUT WE NEEDED A DIFFERENT SPACE.

>> WHEN IT COMES UP IT'S GOING TO HANG LIKE THIS.

WE'RE GOING TO WALK IT OVER.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF IT WE CAN PUSH IT TO PLUM AND COME DOWN.

WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO.

DOWN SLOWLY.

>> OKAY, GOT TO SPEAK UP.

>> SORRY.

YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR POST AND SEE IF IT LINES UP WITH YOUR FOUR OUTSIDE HOLES.

>> IT'S GOT A LOT OF WEIGHT ON IT.

HERE IT GOES.

IT'S GOING!

>> WE SEND PEOPLE FROM HERE TO MAINE TO BE WITH AARON AND THEN WITH MATT.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU THEY CAME BACK, THERE'S NO WAY, NO WAY THEY ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER.

I'M TELLING YOU.

>> WE HAVE AARON, WHO IS A PURIST ABOUT FRAMES.

WE HAVE MATT, WHO IS THE DESIGN INTENT PERSON, A PURIST ABOUT WHAT HE DOES AND IS INVOLVED IN THE MINUTIAE.

>> HOW IS IT GOING?

>> GOOD.

SO TAKE A LOOK -- >> FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WE'RE SETTING IN MOTION THESE PATTERNS OF CONSUMPTION.

IF WE'RE MAKING THE CHOICE TODAY TO SET IN MOTION THESE BUILDINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HIGH PERFORMING FOR 50 TO 100 YEARS USING ALMOST NO ENERGY OR NET ZERO THEN WE'RE DOING OUR JOB.

WE'RE ACTING RESPONSIBLY.

>> WE WANT TO DEMONSTRATE SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

WE WANT TO NOT JUST TALK ABOUT IT BUT DO SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND THAT WE ALL BELIEVE IN.

>> WHEN WE STARTED OFF WE DID THE PROTOTYPE FOR THE GO HOME, WHICH IS OUR FIRST PASSIVE HOUSE.

WHAT WE REALIZED VERY QUICKLY AS IT WENT THROUGH THE FIRST WINTER IS IT'S A MUCH BETTER BUILDING.

IT USED ONLY AROUND TWO OR $300 FOR SPACE HEATING ALL WINTER LONG.

THAT WAS SORT OF A PROPERTY TYPE FOR CO-HOUSING COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IN BELFAST.

IT'S 36 FAMILIES DIVIDED INTO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT UNIT TYPES.

IT'S ON A RURAL SITE AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT REDUCING THE DEVELOPMENT FOOTPRINT TO MAXIMIZE THE SURROUNDING UNDEVELOPED LAND AREA.

THERE'S A WHOLE FARMING COMPONENT TO THAT.

THE PASSIVE HOUSE STANDARD IS 90% REDUCTION IN SPACE MEETING DEMAND, WHICH IS A CONSERVATION APPROACH.

YOU'RE GOING TO CONSERVE THE ENERGY IN THE BUILDING BY BUILDING A REALLY GOOD BUILDING ENVELOPE, BUILDING SHELL.

SO HIGH INSULATION LEVELS, TRIPLE GLAZED WINDOWS.

THEN AIR SEALED WITH VENTIL VENTILATION.

>> TRADITIONAL BUILDING WAS DESIGNED TO LAST 200 YEARS.

IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE SHORT LIVED.

YOU WERE GOING TO STAY THERE FOREVER.

WE DON'T BUILD LIKE THAT IN THE UNITED STATES ANY MORE.

WE HAVEN'T FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

EXCEPT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.

>> THE FREEDOM MILL WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE A PROJECT THAT WAS DONE BY THIS GROUP CALLED PRESERVATION TIMBER FRAMING IN TERMS OF RESTORING INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER OF AN ORIGINAL BUILDING.

THE FOUNDATIONS ARE MASSIVE BLOCKS OF GRANITE WITH A TRADITIONAL MILL BUILDING ABOVE IT.

WE WENT THERE TO JUST EXPERIENCE THIS FEELING AND THIS -- THE HEAVINESS OF GRANITE AND THE WATER.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF A BUILDING TO ITS ENVIRONMENT.

THE WATER COURSING UNDER THE BUILDING AND THE STRENGTH OF THE WATER, THE STRAIGHT OF THE BUILDING WAS OVERWHELMING.

ALAN SAID IF WE CAN INCORPORATE THE BEAUTY AND MAJESTY AND STRENGTH WITH THE CONCEPTS OF A SUSTAINABLE BUILDING WE HAVE A WIN.

>> WHEN PEOPLE CAME AND USED THIS BUILDING WHAT DID WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN?

THE FIRST THOUGHT WAS IT WAS A GATHERING PLACE.

A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AND TO LEARN TOGETHER.

TO GROW TOGETHER.

TO PRACTICE YOGA TOGETHER.

TO COME UP WITH NEW IDEAS TOGETHER.

>> I DON'T KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE'S PASSION AND THEY ARE ALIVE, THAT'S IT FOR ME.

THAT WAS A WAY TO REALLY HELP COMMUNITIES IN NEED, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.

>> LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE SPEAK TO BOTH OF US, SO WE FOUND THIS WORD ALNOBA.

THEY SAID THIS IS A GOOD WORD.

IT REALLY MEANS BECOMING HUMAN.

>> WE DETERMINED THAT IN ORDER TO FLUSH THAT OUT WE HAD TO DO A 3-D MODEL.

HARRIET WALKED INTO THE ROOM HAVING NOT BEEN INVOLVED.

SHE KNEW THAT CONCEPTUALLY THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON.

SHE WALKED INTO THE ROOM AND LOOKED AT THE 3-D MODEL AND HER IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS, OH, MY GOD!

OH, MY GOD.

IT WAS GORGEOUS AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

I JUST LOVED IT.

I DID.

I JUST LOVED IT.

>> ALAN IS THE PERSON WHO KEEPS SAYING I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT TODAY.

I NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT'S GOING TO BE.

>> ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX KING POSTS IN THIS 60-FOOT BUILDING.

ONE OF THE REASONS WE DID THE KING POSTS, THE DOUBLE PARALLEL RAFTER KING POST TRUSS IT ALLOWS THE ENTIRE SPAN TO BE WIDE OPEN.

IT'S ALSO BEAUTIFUL FORM.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK UP AT THAT TRUSS YOU'RE SEEING A PURE STRUCTURAL LOAD BEING SUNSET TO THE OUTSIDE WALL AND A BEAUTIFUL AND KIND OF MAGICAL WAY.

I LOVE THE SHADOWS ON IT.

>> THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO UTILIZE A TREE OF THAT SIZE.

IT'S BY FAR THE MOST SUSTAINABLE AND ENERGY PRESERVING METHOD OF BUILDING.

IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT A TREE AND TURNING IT INTO 2000 BY FOURS, THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY IT TOOK TOO TAKE A PERFECTLY GOOD TREE WE COULD USE AS A POST AND TURN IT INTO 30 TWO BY FOURS, THAT'S A LOT OF PETROLEUM FOR VERY LITTLE GAIN.

THAT'S A SHORT LIVED BUILDING.

THE FRAMEWORK AND THE MATERIALS WE USED IN THE FORM THAT WE USED THEM IS A VERY SUSTAINABLE PART OF THIS STRUCTURE.

>> I LIKE HIM.

I BELIEVE HE LOVED WHAT HE DID.

I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO PRESERVE OUR CULTURE.

>> THE EARLY GALLERY FRAME IS A POSTED FRAME LIKE A BARN.

IT IS A BARN.

IT'S A BARN FROM GREEN MAINE.

THAT TYPE OF BARN WOULD HAVE EXISTED ANYWHERE FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO THE NORTHERN MAINE.

IT WAS VERY HOMOGENEOUS.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HAND HEWN EARLY FRAME FROM ABOUT 1750, 1760, IN THAT RANGE.

>> IN SOME WAS AARON FOR ME IS A BIGGER CONSERVATIONIST.

BECAUSE IT IS WOOD FROM THE 1700s.

I DO BELIEVE HE'S GOT PROOF THAT THEY LAST A LONG, LONG TIME.

>> WHAT WE HAVE IS A 200ISH YEAR OLD BRACE.

THIS MARRIAGE MARK TELLS YOU EXACTLY WHERE IT GOES.

IT ONLY GOES IN ONE SPOT.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S PRETTY OLD AND WEATHERED.

IT'S STILL GOOD.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT BACK IN THEBUILDING.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS.

>> TO BRING A TIMBER FRAME TOGETHER WAS A COMMUNITY EVENT.

THE MEETING HOUSE, THE CHURCH BUILDING, THE TOWN HALL.

ALL VERY LARGE TIMBER FRAMES, OFTEN LITERALLY BROUGHT TOGETHER BY THE COMMUNITY, RAISED BY THE COMMUNITY.

SO YOU COULD CALL IN HALF A DOZEN FARMERS TO HELP LIFT A FRAME AND MAKE IT HAPPEN BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THIS KIND OF BUILDING AND THEY CERTAINLY UNDERSTOOD HOW IT WENT TOGETHER.

>> THE TIME WORN AND PROVEN TECHNOLOGY OF AARON HAS CENTURIES BEHIND IT.

WE'RE COMBINING IT WITH SOMETHING THAT HAS LESS THAN DECADES BEHIND IT.

>> TO SEE THAT BUILDING STICKING OUT LIKE THAT.

WHEN IT FIRST WENT UP I SAID, WHAT DID I DO?

YOU KNOW?

I MEAN -- I WAS WORSE THAN IN SHOCK.

I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT HOW TO MITIGATE THAT BIG BUILDING.

YOU KNOW.

TONE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

>> AUTHENTICITY IN MY LIFE AND HARRIET'S LIFE IS A PREMIUM.

AT THIS STAGE WE KNOW WE HAVE A FINITE AMOUNT OF TIME.

IN THAT TIME WE WANT TO SPEND IT WITH PEOPLE AND THINGS THAN ARE REAL.

>> SO ALAN WHEN HE WAS REALLY YOUNG LIKE FIVE, I THINK HE WAS AROUND FIVE, WOULD TAKE THE BUS FROM THE BOSTON AREA AND COME ALL THE WAY UP TO NEW HAMPSHIRE.

THERE WEREN'T THE BIG HIGHWAYS THEN SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A RIDE.

HE WOULD GET OFF THE BUS AND GO ACROSS THE STREET TO HIS GRANDMOTHER.

HIS GRANDMOTHER LIVED RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.

>> SHE WOULD AT FIRST GIVE HARRIET A HARD TIME.

I WOULD BRING HER UP AND SHE WOULD SERVE ME FIRST, YOU KNOW.

NOT TALK TO HER UNTIL SHE HAD SPOKEN TO ME, YOU KNOW.

BUT SHE BECAME VERY FOND OF HATTIE.

SHE CALLED HER HATTIE.

>> HIS UNCLE WOULD BE OVER THERE, HIS OTHER AUNTS WOULD BE OVER THERE AND THERE WAS REAL FAMILY AND THEY WOULD JUST GO AND DO THINGS.

THEY WERE VERY MUCH CONNECTED TO THE LAND.

SHE WAS LIKE A GATHERING PLACE.

IT WAS A GATHERING PLACE AND THAT'S WHAT HER HOUSE WAS LIKE.

>> THEY HAD A LOT OF FUN IN THE OUTDOORS.

I DID TOO.

WHEN I WAS UP HERE THAT'S WHAT I DID.

I WOULD BE OUT IN THE WOODS.

YOU KNOW.

>> HE WANTED IT TO BE IN THE WOODS AND HE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK THROUGH THE BUILDING AND SEE THE WOODS.

HE'S ACCOMPLISHED THAT WITH VERY LARGE GLASS ELEMENTS.

THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD SEE ON A TRADITIONAL MEETING HOUSE.

>> ALWAYS FROM THE BEGINNING THE ENTRY TO THE BUILDING WAS GOING TO BE COUPLED WITH THIS RECLAIMED TIMBER FRAME.

>> THE GALLERY IS A REPURPOSED BUILDING.

IT WAS A DAIRY BARN THEN IT GOT CHANGED TO A HAY BARN THEN THEY PUT HORSES IN IT.

THEN THEY GOT A BIGGER COW.

IT KEPT CHANGING AND CHANGING.

>> THE GALLERY WAS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE HAD THAT OLD 200-YEAR-OLD FRAME THAT'S FOUND ITS HAPE OVER 200 YEARS.

IT'S WOOD.

THERE'S FORCES ON IT.

>> THE TIMBER FRAME WILL EXPAND AND CONTRACT WITH CLIMATE BECAUSE IT'S A NATURAL MATERIAL.

>> WE HAVE A BUILDING, HOWEVER, THAT NEEDS TO BE QUITE PRECISE.

STEEL AS YOU KNOW IS QUITE STRAIGHT.

CLEAR, CLEAN, MODERN MATERIAL.

CLEAN LINE.

EASY TO WORK WITH IN THAT SENSE.

THE TIMBER FRAME WHICH IT'S MARRIED TO IS KIND OF MOVING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

>> THE STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURE IS REALLY MORE FOR THE EXTERIOR CLADING AND GLASS.

THEY ARE USING MASSIVE SIZED GLASS FOR THIS PROJECT.

>> IF THE BUILDING MOVES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GLASS FAILURE.

>> THE TIMBER FRAME WILL EXPAND AND CONTRACT AT DIFFERENT RATES THAN GLASS AND STEEL.

THAT MARRIAGE, HOW THAT'S GOING TO MANY CO-TOGETHER.

>> WE'RE GOING TO PECULIARRY THE TWO TOGETHER.

>> THEY BOTH LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT I DO THINK THEY ARE BOTH CONSERVATIONISTS.

>> I WANT TO WORK WITH A TEAM OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

THEY WANT TO PUSH IT.

THEY WANT TO MAKE IT PERFECT.

AARON AND HIS TEAM CLEARLY HAVE THAT AND THEY DO THAT.

BUT I FEEL LIKE IN MOMENTS OF FRUSTRATION, YEAH, IT'S LIKE WHY DON'T WE JUST SEPARATE THESE AND KEEP THEM SEPARATE.

IT WOULD BE TOTALLY EASY.

WE JUST ASSEMBLED FRAME.

SHIP IN A BOTTLE, RIGHT?

BLEU I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO.

>> THAT'S THE BALANCE THAT MATT STRUCK.

IT'S NOT A TERRIBLE BALANCE.

IT'S NOT AS TRADITIONAL AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT FOR A BUILDING OF THIS AGE, BUT IT'S IN FACT A WAY TO ILLUSTRATE THE BUILDING, MAKE IT RELEVANT, MAKE IT VIABLE.

HAVE IT USED.

IT WILL BE A VERY, VERY INTERESTING BUILDING.

>> A LOT OF NEW ENGLAND'S HISTORY COMES FROM SMALL, ISOLATED GRANITE QUARRIES THAT THE TOWNSPEOPLE OR THE TOWNS CRAFTSMEN WOULD GO AND ACTUALLY QUARRY OUT BLOCKS OF GRANITE FOR THE GRANGE, FOR THE ANIMAL IMPOUNDS.

PART OF THIS PROJECT WE RECLAIMED FROM ABOUT A QUARRY OVER IN THE WESTERN PART OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IT HAS A LONG HISTORY.

ALL THE ABANDONED QUARRIES THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND, MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

PEOPLE LOVE STONE BECAUSE IT TIES THE BUILDINGS TO THE EARTH.

>> ALAN DOES NOT LIKE CONSTRUCTION.

I LOVE CONSTRUCTION.

JUST SEEING DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING, THE NEXT STAGE AND THE NEXT STAGE, CHOOSING THE STONE FOR THE FIREPLACE.

IT'S A THOUSAND MILLION DIFFERENT DECISIONS.

I LIKE THAT.

>> WE WORKED INTO THE BIG LYNN TELL STONE OVER THE FIREPLACE.

THAT STONE IS ALMOST 11 FEET LONG.

IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL STONE.

A KEY ELEMENT TO THE WHOLE FIREPLACE.

>> ALL THE ASSEMBLIES FROM THE FOUNDATION TO THE WALLS TO THE WINDOWS TO THE ROOF TO THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, THEY ALL HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF CONNECTING TOGETHER SO THERE'S NO AIR LEAKAGE.

>> THE AIRTIGHTNESS OF THE BUILDING IS CRITICAL TO A PASSIVE HOUSE.

>> IT CAN BE UP TO 30% OF A BUILDING'S ENERGY LOSS JUST DUE TO LEAKING.

>> I WASN'T GOING TO BUILD IT UNLESS WE HAD A FIREPLACE.

I WOULDN'T BUILD IT.

I JUST WOULDN'T.

I'M FROM HERE.

WE HAVE BEEN CUTTING WOOD SINCE I WAS A KID.

>> FIRE AGAIN IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF COMMUNITY AND BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND FIRE.

ANY PLACE THAT ALAN WOULD EVERO- NOT WANT TO HAVE FIRE.

THE CHALLENGE BECAME HOW DO YOU PUT A FIREPLACE AS BIG AS THIS FIREPLACE, WHICH IS ALMOST SIX FOOT WIDE, INTO A PASSIVE HOUSE WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE AIR INFILTRATION IN AND OUT LOCKED DOWN.

>> BECAUSE THE HEAT DEMAND IS SOLO MOST OF THE HEATING COMES FROM THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE INSIDE OF IT.

OCCUPANTS, COMPUTERS, LIGHTS, COOKING.

THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE PETE COMES FROM.

>> IN A PASSIVE HOUSE TO BE CERTIFIED YOU NEED TO DEMONSTRATE AIRTIGHTNESS OF THE BUILDING.

>> BECAUSE IT'S SO AIRTIGHT THERE'S NO FRESH AIR TO DRAW FROM SO YOU'RE DRAWING FROM THE ROOM.

SO WHAT WE HAD TO DO WAS SUPPLY AN ALEXANDRIA ULRY OR FRESH AIR SOURCE THAT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE SO THAT WE CAN WITH A SWITCH OPEN UP THE AIR SOURCE WHEN YOU LIGHT THE FIRE IT DRAWS DIRECTLY FROM THAT AIR SOURCE RATHER THAN DRAWING IT FROM THE ROOM.

>> THE JURIES STILL OUT ON HOW THIS BUILDING WILL PERFORM.

>> WHEN WE FIRST CAME ON TO THIS SITE, ALAN SAID THAT HE DID NOT WANT A BUILDING THAT WAS IMPOSED.

HE WANTED A BUILDING THAT FELT AS IF IT WAS DEVELOPED WITHIN THE LANDSCAPE.

IN ORDER TO CREATE THE BUILDING WE HAD TO DESTROY A PORTION OF THAT WHICH WE WERE THERE FOR.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE REPLANTING IS TO RECREATE THAT WHICH WAS THERE ORIGINALLY, AND TO ACCENTUATE IT EVEN MORE FULLY.

>> WE BUILT THE BUILDING ALONG THE EDGE OF THE FOREST KNOWING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO TREE PLANTING AROUND IT TO GIVE IT THAT FEEL OF MOVING THROUGH THE TREES INTO THE BUILDING.

>> WE DIDN'T JUST SELECT VARIETIES OF TREES.

WE SELECTED INDIVIDUAL TREES.

OF THE 51 TREES EACH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED SPECIFICALLY.

THERE IS NO RANDOM TREE THAT'S BEING PLANTED AROUND THIS BUILDING.

[LAUGHTER] WE HAVE RED OAK, SUGAR MAPLE, RED MAPLE, WHITE BIRCH, HEMLOCK AND SWAMP WHITE OAK, WHICH ARE ALL NATIVE TREES THAT ARE INDIGENOUS.

[LAUGHTER] >> WOW!

[ECHOING] >> THAT'S REALLY WHAT, 300, 200-YEAR-OLD WOOD.

IT'S STILL BEING USED.

RIGHT?

IT'S STILL FUNCTIONAL.

IT'S STILL -- I DON'T KNOW TODAY HOW MANY THINGS 300 YEARS FROM NOW YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY I'LL TAKE THIS PART OF A BUILDING AND PUT IT IN ANOTHER BUILDING.

>> THE PASSIVE HOUSE STANDARD HAS THREE MAIN COMPONENTS IN ORDER TO CERTIFY.

THE FIRST LEVEL THE ANNUAL HEAT CONSUMPTION FOR THE BUILDING.

WE PASSED THAT.

WE'RE GOOD.

THE SECOND IS THE PRIMARY ENERGY, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY RELATED TO LOADS OF THE BUILDING AND HOW THE ENERGY SOURCES OF THE BUILDING, WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM AND THE TOTAL ENERGY THAT THE BUILDING USES AS A WHOLE.

WE'RE GOOD THERE.

THE THIRD IS AFTER CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE OR AT THE END OF CONSTRUCTION WE HAVE TO DO A PRESSURIZATION TEST TO ENSURE THAT THE BUILDING HAS THE AIRTIGHTNESS LEVEL TO MEET THE PASSIVE HOUSE STANDARD.

>> NO.

>> SO I WASN'T GOING TO BUILD UNLESS WE HAD A FIREPLACE.

THEY SAID IT IS NOT GOING TO BE PASSIVE.

I SAID WELL IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PASSIVE.

YOU KNOW, MY GOAL WASN'T TO MAKE IT PASSIVE.

MY GOAL WAS TO HAVE A GREAT MODEL THAT OTHER PEOPLE COULD -- THAT WOULD HELP MODEL SUSTAINABILITY AND CONSERVATION.

>> HEY, HEY, HEY!

>> COME ON, COME ON!

>> EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING DONE IS BEING DONE TO SUCH A LEVEL OF CERTAINTY AND TO SUCH EXACTING STANDARDS, YOU JUST HOPE THE TORCH WILL BE CARRIED.

>> I'M VERY, VERY PROUD.

I'M REALLY PROUD OF THIS BUILDING.

I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT EVERYBODY HAS DONE.

>> YOU PAUSE AND YOU TAKE IN MOTHER NATURE AND YOU TAKE IN WHAT'S AROUND YOU.

YOU LOOK AT THE ELEMENTS AND STONE IS ONE OF THEM.

FIRE IS ANOTHER ONE.

TO SLOW DOWN, YOU WALK THROUGH THE PROPERTY AND YOU WALK THROUGH THIS BUILDING, I THINK YOU GET THE SENSE OF WHERE IT ALL CAME FROM.

>> I DON'T THINK IN MY LIFETIME I HAVE SEEN THAT MUCH TALENT EGO COME TOGETHER AND WORK SO WELL TOGETHER.

>> THE MISSION IN WHAT ALAN LEWIS IS TRYING TO DO HERE IS LONG TERM.

HE'S LOOKING AT SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS WITH IS SOLAR SYSTEMS, ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES HE ADDRESSES.

THAT'S WHAT REALLY GOT ME PUMPED 20U7 DO THIS PROJECT.

>> KEEPING AND APPRECIATING THE QUALITY OF PLACE, PARTICULARLY IN NEW ENGLAND THERE'S A LOT OF HERITAGE HERE, AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT BUT ALSO TO BRING SOMETHING NEW TO THE DIALOGUE FOR ME IS WHAT GETS ME OUT OF BED.

>> I LOOK ALMOST EVERY DAY WHEN I'M HERE.

I'M SO THANKFUL TO BE HERE KNOWING I'M JUST A PART OF TIME.

>> VERMONT PBS, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL FILMMAKERS TO BRING YOU