Gathered at 24 Owenoke Park for the presentation of this year’s “Westport Green Building Award” are, front row from left, Kristen Butts, chairwoman of Green Building Awards; First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker; homeowners Keith and Kate Melnick; architect Jack Franzen; top row from left, town Building Official Stephen Smith; Peter Boyd, chairman of the Sustainable Westport Advisory Board; Gately Ross, co-director of Sustainable Westport; Johanna Martell, co-director of Sustainable Westport; John Segerson of Segerson Builders, and Pam Brennan of Segerson Builders. / Contributed photo by Jenaé Weinbrenner
The home at 24 Owenoke Park. / Image, Google Earth

WESTPORT — An Owenoke Park home is the winner of this year’s “Westport Green Building Award” from the town and Sustainable Westport.

The award, presented to 24 Owenoke Park owners Keith and Kate Melnick, as well as the home’s architectural and construction team, recognizes “projects that make, or have made, significant contributions to sustainability and Westport’s future as a net zero community,” according to the announcement.

The citation is officially called the “Westport Green Building Award for Achievement in Sustainable Design and Construction,” and is a collaboration between the town and Sustainable Westport to recognize “noteworthy accomplishments that add benefit to the Westport community.”

Besides the Melnicks, this year’s award is shared by architect Jack Franzen; the contractors, John and Steve Segerson, and Pam Brennan of Segerson Builders, and interior designer Chrystal Toth.

The house at 24 Owenoke Park, according to the award presenters, “is a stellar example of what is possible with sustainable design and construction in a residential project.”

The Melnicks, who moved to Westport in 2016, wanted to incorporate in their new home sustainable building features they learned about while living in Switzerland and Australia. 

Sustainable aspects of 24 Owenoke Park include an efficient building envelope, use of sustainable building materials, a solar photovoltaic system and a geothermal heating and cooling system, according to the award announcement.

Among the home’s sustainable features are:

  • Double-pane insulated windows with low-emittance coating to reflect heat and keep it from penetrating the glass.
  • The heating/cooling system is run by an electric geothermal heat pump, lessening the home’s reliance on fossil fuels. When heat is required, the heat pump draws heat from the ground; when cooling is required, the heat pump rejects heat back into wells drilled 535 feet into the ground.
  • A 7.8-kilowatt installation of photovoltaic panels produces the home’s electricity, and can send electric power back to the grid. The solar panels also power an EV charger for the  Melnicks’ electric car.
  • All appliances are Energy Star-rated in compliance with federal efficiency standards.

To learn more about the Westport Green Building Award program, check the Sustainable Westport website.

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