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Truckee-03
Location:Truckee
Style:Craftsman
Architect:Kristi Thompson - MWA, Inc.
Structural Engineer:Gabbart & Woods
Builder:Heller Construction
Landscape Designer:High West Landscape Architects
Interior Designer:Katherine Elkins Designs LTD, and Patty Heller
Photographer:Vance Fox
Year Completed :2013
Square Feet:5,657 Living + 1,975 Barn + 1,265 Garage

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!"

Truckee-03
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Bridge
Reclaimed Wood Siding
Flat Corten Shingles Siding
Composition Asphalt Shingle
Granite
Divided Lite
Mulled Unit

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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

Truckee-03
Image 3 of 44

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

Truckee-03
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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

Truckee-03
Image 5 of 44

Chimney
Firepit
Railings
Timber Trusses
Exposed Timber Trusses
Reclaimed Wood Siding
Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame
Granite
Large Boulders
Gable
Deck
Window in Stone

Truckee-03
Image 6 of 44

Solar
Reclaimed Wood Siding
Trestlewood Siding
Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame
Composition Asphalt Shingle
Corrugated Corten Roofing
Gable
Shed
Divided Lite

Truckee-03
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Railings
Reclaimed Wood Siding
Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame

Truckee-03
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Patio
Stone Tile
Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame
Flat Corten Shingles Siding
Granite
Wood Decking Ceiling
Porch

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Cabinets
Stone Flooring
Bathroom
Divided Lite

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Living Wall
Railings
Exposed Beams With Wood Decking
Wood Decking Ceiling
Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Wood Paneling

Truckee-03
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Cabinets
Exposed Beams With Painted Plaster Board
Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Kitchen
Clerestory
Single Lite

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Wood Decking Ceiling
Stone Flooring
Wood Paneling
Breakfast Nook
Divided Lite
Single Lite
Window in Stone

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Stone Flooring
Mud Room
Divided Lite

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Carpet
Wood Paneling
Bedroom
Clerestory
Divided Lite

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Built-in Storage
Carpet
Wood Paneling
Bedroom
Clerestory
Single Lite

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Timber Trusses
Exposed Beams With Wood Decking
Exposed Timber Trusses
Wood Decking Ceiling

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Cabinets
Stone Flooring
Wood Paneling
Bathroom
Divided Lite

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Bathroom
Powder

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Bridge
Fireplace
Timber Trusses
Granite
Exposed Beams With Wood Decking
Exposed Timber Trusses
Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Wood Flooring
Great Room
Living Room

Truckee-03
Image 20 of 44

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

Truckee-03
Image 21 of 44

Granite
Exposed Beams With Wood Decking
Wood Decking Ceiling
Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Wood Flooring
Dining Room
Divided Lite
Mulled Unit
Window in Stone

Truckee-03
Image 22 of 44

Bridge
Railings
Exposed Beams With Wood Decking
Exposed Timber Trusses
Wood Decking Ceiling
Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Wood Flooring
Wood Paneling
Divided Lite

Truckee-03
Image 23 of 44

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

Truckee-03
Image 24 of 44

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

Truckee-03
Image 25 of 44

Bridge
Cabinets
Exposed Beams With Painted Plaster Board
Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Wood Flooring
Wood Paneling
Bathroom
Bedroom
Office
Divided Lite
Single Lite

Truckee-03
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Cabinets
Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Wood Flooring
Kitchen
Media Room
Divided Lite

Truckee-03
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Carpet
Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Wood Flooring
Roman Shades
Wood Paneling
Bedroom
Bunkroom

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Cabinets
Roman Shades
Bathroom
Divided Lite

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Built-in Storage
Cabinets
Wood Decking Ceiling
Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Wood Flooring
Office

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Thermal Mass

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Thermal Mass

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Thermal Mass

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Wood Paneling

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Bridge
Timber Trusses
Reclaimed Wood Siding
Heavy Timbers/ Timber Frame
Composition Asphalt Shingle
Granite

Truckee-03
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Timber Trusses

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Solar

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Timber Trusses

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Truckee-03
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Chimney
Timber Trusses
Reclaimed Wood Siding
Composition Asphalt Shingle
Granite
Deck

Truckee-03
Image 43 of 44

Reclaimed Wood Siding
Composition Asphalt Shingle
Granite

Truckee-03
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Reclaimed Wood Siding
Composition Asphalt Shingle
Granite


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