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Sebastopol Solar Home
Sebastopol Solar Home
Sebastopol, CA, United States
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Sebastopol Solar Home
Sebastopol, CA, United States
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2014
SIZE
1000 sqft - 3000 sqft
BUDGET
$1M - 5M
Photos
This new single family residence sits on a small steep down slope urban infill lot in downtown Sebastopol. The client was an environmentally aware couple with a school aged daughter. Environmentalism, budget, beauty and contextualism were primary concerns.
Passive Solar
A passive solar solution was perhaps the foremost concept that shaped the house. While the hillside lot runs north south and required significant retaining walls, the main living and sleeping spaces were oriented to the south side in order to maximize solar potential. Window size, location, shading and glazing selection were choreographed to pair with realities of the site and allow the owners to make adjustments and control the interior climate. Window placement was also key for cross ventilation and night time cooling. Thermal energy is stored in 2 layers of 5/8” thick gypsum wallboard throughout the house. Ceiling fans and a whole house fan were added.
Net Positive
Energy efficiency measures in addition to the passive solar design include LED lighting throughout, a hybrid electric/heat pump hot water heating system, and a highly insulated and tightly sealed envelope. All of these elements mean that the heating system (there is no mechanical cooling) was reduced to a minimum sized furnace that is used only as a backup. Photo-voltaic panels generate enough electricity to make the home a net positive electricity generator. The upstairs backup heat has not been needed at all and the owner has made adjustments to shading controls and heating to dramatically reduce the need for downstairs backup heating use.
Passive Solar
A passive solar solution was perhaps the foremost concept that shaped the house. While the hillside lot runs north south and required significant retaining walls, the main living and sleeping spaces were oriented to the south side in order to maximize solar potential. Window size, location, shading and glazing selection were choreographed to pair with realities of the site and allow the owners to make adjustments and control the interior climate. Window placement was also key for cross ventilation and night time cooling. Thermal energy is stored in 2 layers of 5/8” thick gypsum wallboard throughout the house. Ceiling fans and a whole house fan were added.
Net Positive
Energy efficiency measures in addition to the passive solar design include LED lighting throughout, a hybrid electric/heat pump hot water heating system, and a highly insulated and tightly sealed envelope. All of these elements mean that the heating system (there is no mechanical cooling) was reduced to a minimum sized furnace that is used only as a backup. Photo-voltaic panels generate enough electricity to make the home a net positive electricity generator. The upstairs backup heat has not been needed at all and the owner has made adjustments to shading controls and heating to dramatically reduce the need for downstairs backup heating use.
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