Save a Child's Heart (SACH) recently opened its new house –the Legacy Heritage Children’s Home, located in the city of Holon, five km. from Tel Aviv, in Israel. The house provides housing for children who need life-saving heart surgeries, their families, as well as nurses, doctors and volunteers.The 900 square meters (about 9,600 square feet) L-shaped building, which incorporates the latest green building techniques, includes a green roof with skylights, an energy saving system for lighting and air conditioning and solar panels to heat water. A spacious garden and outdoor playground provide a comfortable and enjoyable environment for children pre- and post-heart surgery."Modesty and simplicity are qualities which we recognized in the essence of SACH which helps children from developing countries regardless of their race or religion,” says Guido Herzsage, partner in Herzsage & Sternberg Architects, responsible for the design and construction of the building. “That is why the design is harmonized with the residential neighborhood, yet functional for the specific needs.”A combination of materials, such as steel beams and sliding wooden shutters, give the façade dynamism and movement since it changes according to the position of the shutters. The shutters also block the sun and cool the building.“We capitalized on the warm, sunny and mostly rainless conditions in Israel, for about eight months a year,” says Amit Sternberg, partner in Herzsage & Sternberg Architects, also responsible for the design. “Through the green roof and the solar panels, we maximized the sunlight use while minimizing energy and air conditioning use.”