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2013 CATT Award - Sustainable Building Methods Project of the Year
2015 Tahoe Quarterly Home Awards - Eco-Friendly Award - "Eco Estate" - read article
2016 - Featured in an episode of TAHOMES Remodeled & Custom Homes
The Lake Tahoe area is a beautiful place to live and play, but it also presents severe challenges for local architects and builders especially if the homeowner is striving for the best in energy efficiency and durability while still looking for a classic mountain design. This home is the result of an integrated team of designers, engineers and builders that more than met those challenges. The design pulls in traditional cabin and lodge style cues, including massive FSC timbers and abundant reclaimed wood finishes, while incorporating extensive customized energy and material efficient building techniques.
The key to the success of this project was forming the team early, led by the triumvirate of architect Kristi Thompson, builder Bob Heller and LEED AP Ann V. Edminster. This group was tasked with balancing the client's aesthetic and sustainability goals against the practical aspects of Truckee's severe winters and dry summers (e.g. high snow levels, very cold temperatures, high fire risk and strict seismic codes). Add to that the desire for a 'scalable' house to comfortably host 2-12 people, and universal design methods to accommodate those of all abilities.
Oriented on an east-west axis to maximize both solar gain and day-lighting and to work with the natural site contours, the most distinguishing architectural feature of the house is the bridge that separates the main living areas from the garage and bunkroom. The bridge design was inspired by the local railroad heritage of Truckee, but its sustainable purpose was to allow the natural spring run-off, which in heavy snow years can swell to a roaring creek, to pass under the house and continue on its natural path. Both the entry and great room feature scissor trusses site built from FSC timbers. The house also features two living green roofs, an indoor living wall (integrated into a floating stair), and an integrated greenhouse to help bring the outside in (not easy at 6,000 ft. elevation), while mitigating some of the impacts of the very dry mountain climate.
The house is all-electric (fossil fuel free, save for the backup generator) which drove the decision to go with a mix of a solar thermal array and ground source heat pumps to provide heat to the hydronic floor system and domestic hot water. Because hydronic systems can be somewhat finicky in super-tight and super-insulated homes (double wall, R-44/R-60 ceiling) a new PC-based HVAC control system is used to manage and anticipate the heating loads. No A/C system was included due to Truckee's mild, dry summers, but a Zehnder HRV was included to provide fresh air throughout the year. The project also includes a barn, which was designed to house a solar PV system that can produce up to 9.5KW, which covers most of the home's energy needs.
Fixture and finish material selection also played an important part in the construction of the home. When possible, material and product specification focused on regionally produced and/or sourced products. The design team focused on California-made products, but expanded the search area to the West Coast and the entire U.S. when needed. Within those regions, they also sought to utilize products made with eco-friendly content (either recycled or reclaimed) and that had minimal environmental impacts. Ultimately, all of these products needed to work with the home's various systems as mentioned above. Regional materials and products include: masonry, tile, concrete countertops, cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, and lighting. Eco-friendly materials include: Corten metal siding, reclaimed wood throughout including, wall finishes made from pine boards/slabs cut from trees harvested on site, 100% wool carpets, no or low-VOC paint, plaster and stains, recycled content tile, salvaged sinks, and corrugated metal siding (on the interior, using material reclaimed from local buildings). Products compatible with the house's systems include: triple pane windows, LED lighting, water-saving plumbing fixtures, and Energy Star appliances.
From the clients, "When we started this project we suspected our expectations might be unrealistic, but our amazing team exceeded all our design goals. We ended up with a home that received not only the highest Build It Green GreenPoint rating (199) of any home in the Sierra Nevada, but one of the highest in the entire state of California!"
Bridge Reclaimed Wood Siding Flat Corten Shingles Siding Composition Asphalt Shingle Granite Divided Lite Mulled Unit |
Bridge Chimney Solar Timber Trusses Exposed Timber Trusses Reclaimed Wood Siding Trestlewood Siding Stone Tile Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame Flat Corten Shingles Siding Composition Asphalt Shingle Corrugated Corten Roofing Granite Large Boulders Gable Shed Porch Skylights |
Chimney Timber Trusses Exposed Timber Trusses Reclaimed Wood Siding Trestlewood Siding Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame Flat Corten Shingles Siding Composition Asphalt Shingle Living Green Roof Corrugated Corten Roofing Granite Large Boulders Green Roof Gable |
Chimney Firepit Railings Reclaimed Wood Siding Trestlewood Siding Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame Flat Corten Shingles Siding Composition Asphalt Shingle Living Green Roof Corrugated Corten Roofing Granite Large Boulders Green Roof Gable Deck |
Chimney Firepit Railings Timber Trusses Exposed Timber Trusses Reclaimed Wood Siding Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame Granite Large Boulders Gable Deck Window in Stone |
Solar Reclaimed Wood Siding Trestlewood Siding Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame Composition Asphalt Shingle Corrugated Corten Roofing Gable Shed Divided Lite |
Railings Reclaimed Wood Siding Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame |
Patio Stone Tile Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame Flat Corten Shingles Siding Granite Wood Decking Ceiling Porch |
Cabinets Stone Flooring Bathroom Divided Lite |
Living Wall Railings Exposed Beams With Wood Decking Wood Decking Ceiling Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Paneling |
Cabinets Exposed Beams With Painted Plaster Board Reclaimed Wood Flooring Kitchen Clerestory Single Lite |
Wood Decking Ceiling Stone Flooring Wood Paneling Breakfast Nook Divided Lite Single Lite Window in Stone |
Stone Flooring Mud Room Divided Lite |
Carpet Wood Paneling Bedroom Clerestory Divided Lite |
Built-in Storage Carpet Wood Paneling Bedroom Clerestory Single Lite |
Timber Trusses Exposed Beams With Wood Decking Exposed Timber Trusses Wood Decking Ceiling |
Cabinets Stone Flooring Wood Paneling Bathroom Divided Lite |
Bridge Fireplace Timber Trusses Granite Exposed Beams With Wood Decking Exposed Timber Trusses Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Great Room Living Room |
Fireplace Timber Trusses Granite Exposed Beams With Wood Decking Exposed Timber Trusses Wood Decking Ceiling Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Wood Paneling Great Room Living Room Divided Lite Mulled Unit Window in Stone |
Granite Exposed Beams With Wood Decking Wood Decking Ceiling Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Dining Room Divided Lite Mulled Unit Window in Stone |
Bridge Railings Exposed Beams With Wood Decking Exposed Timber Trusses Wood Decking Ceiling Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Wood Paneling Divided Lite |
Fireplace Timber Trusses Granite Exposed Beams With Wood Decking Exposed Timber Trusses Wood Decking Ceiling Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Great Room Living Room Divided Lite Window in Stone |
Barn Door Bridge Reclaimed Wood Siding Granite Exposed Beams With Wood Decking Wood Decking Ceiling Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Wood Paneling Divided Lite Mulled Unit |
Bridge Cabinets Exposed Beams With Painted Plaster Board Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Wood Paneling Bathroom Bedroom Office Divided Lite Single Lite |
Cabinets Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Kitchen Media Room Divided Lite |
Carpet Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Roman Shades Wood Paneling Bedroom Bunkroom |
Cabinets Roman Shades Bathroom Divided Lite |
Built-in Storage Cabinets Wood Decking Ceiling Reclaimed Wood Flooring Wood Flooring Office |
Bridge Timber Trusses Reclaimed Wood Siding Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame Composition Asphalt Shingle Granite |
Chimney Timber Trusses Reclaimed Wood Siding Composition Asphalt Shingle Granite Deck |
Reclaimed Wood Siding Composition Asphalt Shingle Granite |
Reclaimed Wood Siding Composition Asphalt Shingle Granite |
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