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House Feature
A Photographer Builds Her Passive-House Inspired Dream Home in Maine
"It's 2021," exclaims photographer, new mom, and homeowner Sidney Bensimon. "If you are not trying your hardest to create in a sustainable way, you are missing the point!" We certainly can't argue with that. Nor could anyone find fault with Bensimon's sustainable dream home, which she built on two acres on an ocean inlet in Maine.
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By Camille LeFevre, Home Feature Editor
Apr 9, 2025 · 4 min read
Called the Stella House, which she says "was built with love from the ground up!" the light-filled, 1,500-square-foot home has open living space perfect for taking in the landscape, cooking, hosting friends, relaxing, and producing photo shoots. Certified Passive House designer Alessandro Ronfini of DEMO Architects in Brooklyn, NY (Bensimon also has an apartment in Brooklyn) tailored the house to meet Bensimon's needs, dreams, and budget.
The home's two bedrooms and two baths are on the east side. The master suite on the upper floor has cathedral ceilings punctuated with large skylights, which flood the room with light. "I love the clean, somewhat simple feel for a home," Bensimon says of the home's Scandinavian modern design, which features hardwood floors, cabinetry, trim. "It is relaxing and calming. It also makes a room feel spacious, however small the home might be."
Passive House Inspired
Ronfini and Bensimon decided to build the house to Passive House principles. "Sidney's desire to build a home sustainably and create a healthy and comfortable interior was crucial in the project," Ronfini says.
"Sidney was very excited by the idea of building a Passive House," he continues. "But, we quickly realized that, because of the small size of the building, it would have been very hard and not economically wise to hit the tight energy requirements necessary for full certification. So, we decided to follow the principles of Passive House but not to achieve certification."
How Much Insulation Was Used in the Stella House?
The concrete slab on grade has six inches of EPS insulation to reach R-30. The walls are super-insulated with one-and-a-half inches of foil-faced Polyiso rigid board insulation (exterior) and six inches of mineral wool insulation (R-9.3 + R-22 = R-31.3). The roof insulation includes one-and-a-half inches of Polyiso (exterior) and seven inches of closed-cell spray foam insulation (R-9.3+ R-46.2 = R-55.5).
The insulation creates a warm blanket that keeps the house at a constant temperature year-round.
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Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Ronfini and his firm are currently designing two Passive Houses in the Hudson Valley and just completed his first certified Passive House in the area. The Stella House, however, helped set the designer on this path.
"Sidney was a great client," he says. "She trusted our expertise and knowledge and created a team that was able to work smoothly and complete the project on time and successfully." The team also included Hatchet Mountain Builders (Hope, Maine), energy and envelope consultants BLDGTYP, and Albert Putnam Associates engineering.
Home Feature Editor
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Article by
Camille LeFevre
Camille LeFevre is an architecture and design writer based in the Twin Cities.
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