Roxbury passive house with private backyard drops for $749,000

When it went up about six years ago, the developer of 55 Marcella Street in Roxbury’s Fort Hill area described the passive house as efficient enough to be powered by the same amount of energy necessary to power a hairdryer.

“This ground-breaking green building was designed to use 90 percent less heating energy than a typical home,” according to developer Placetailor, “and is expected to become one of only a few Passive House projects in the whole state.”

It did indeed become just that. And now 55 Marcella is on sale for $749,000, still touting its energy-efficient bona fides via the Compass listing: “Rare opportunity to live ‘the green life’ and own a New England modern single-family home in the city with parking and a conscience.”

The 1,752-square-footer, dubbed the Rockberry House, includes three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms as well as a private backyard. It last sold in 2014 for $572,500.

Incidentally, 55 Marcella achieves its storied energy efficiency through such features as a really thick roof, especially efficient appliances, and recycled energy and rainwater.