House Description

The thoughtfully designed 638‑square‑foot residence emphasizes spatial efficiency and passive solar principles. The Great Room and bedroom share visual continuity through a high ceiling and extensive south glazing, enhancing both daylighting and perceived volume. The steep south‑facing garage roof provides optimal orientation for a full solar array suited to net‑zero living. One garage door measures 8 × 10 feet, accommodating small recreational vehicles. A 538‑square‑foot attic utilizes the garage’s tall roof volume for storage. The south patio incorporates a retractable awning to modulate solar gain seasonally and improve thermal comfort. Compact and efficient, this design is perfectly sized for a couple, vacation retreat, or Airbnb. 

This design promotes an environmentally sustainable and healthy structure and is affordable to maintain as the building ages. Some of the features are as follows:

• The living spaces are oriented around a southern exposure for optimum solar access and natural daylight all day long.
• The insulated concrete floor is solar thermal storage during the winter to keep the house warm after the sun sets. 
• The super-insulated building shell uses traditional 2x6 framing with Huber Zip System® R-12 Insulated Panels for external insulation.
• The extra insulation, combined with a smaller building size, means that the house will use less energy to heat and cool.
• Durable, low-maintenance fiber cement, shou sugi ban, and metal for the exterior finishes reduce long-term maintenance costs.
• The roofline is at a steep angle and has sufficient and efficient space for many solar panels.
• Interior materials are specified to be low or no-VOC to provide healthy indoor air quality.