The house is in a dense residential neighborhood in Santa Cruz, …
The house is in a dense residential neighborhood in Santa Cruz, Calif., on a lot that borders a park. Why straw bale? The clients wanted to “push the ecological envelope,” say architects David Arkin and Anni Tilt.
Edward Caldwell
Is it time to try out an unconventional way of building? This en…
Is it time to try out an unconventional way of building? This energy-smart California home was built using straw bale construction.
Edward Caldwell
Little supplementary energy is needed to heat the house, thanks …
Little supplementary energy is needed to heat the house, thanks to its compact plan, photovoltaic panels on the roof, and the efficient insulation provided by straw-bale walls. Deep overhangs and trellises shade the house in the summer, but not at the expense of natural light.
Brian Pontolilo
The house is designed to be net-zero and to leave a minimal carb…
The house is designed to be net-zero and to leave a minimal carbon footprint. The only time natural gas is used in this home is for cooking.
Edward Caldwell
In this compact plan, each space serves several functions. The …
In this compact plan, each space serves several functions. The exposed framing in the stairwell does double duty as bookcases.
Edward Caldwell
Abundant daylight, fluorescent and LED lighting, and Energy Star…
Abundant daylight, fluorescent and LED lighting, and Energy Star rated appliances keep energy use at a minimum. When extra is needed, an electric air-to-water heat pump produces hot water for domestic use as well as for space heating through radiant tubing in the concrete slab on the main level, and a topping slab for the upstairs bath. That energy usage is offset by the PV panels on the roof.
Edward Caldwell
While straw-bale walls wrap the north and west sides of the hous…
While straw-bale walls wrap the north and west sides of the house, the wood-framed south wall has lots of windows, bringing daylight into the living spaces.
Edward Caldwell
The scale of the double-height dining room is accentuated with a…
The scale of the double-height dining room is accentuated with a madrone tree column, found by the owners on a friend’s nearby property.
When a couple from Santa Cruz said they wanted to “push the ecological envelope,” architects David Arkin and Anni Tiltthought a straw bale house could be just the thing. But the architects didn’t stop there. Their clients needed enough room for four kids, and they hoped to include a space that could be rented out for additional income or for aging parents to come live. A sprawling manse was exactly what the clients didn’t want, so Arkin and Tilt built a house with a compact plan and an energy-smart, low-impact sensibility. With four bedrooms, an office, and a one-bedroom apartment with its own entrance, the house measures 2,500 square feet total. For a family of six, that’s modest.
Abundant natural light, fluorescent and LED lighting, and Energy Star-rated appliances keep energy use minimal. When extra is needed, a heat pump kicks in hot water for space heating and domestic use. This usage is in turn offset by photovoltaic panels on the roof. Another thing: There’s not a fan or an air-conditioner in sight. That’s because the windows—especially the ones in the dining room that are two stories high—provide natural ventilation. Recycled and salvaged doors, interior windows, flooring, and driftwood pickets reduce environmental impact. They give character, too, and the sense that a house like this one is especially at home in Central California. For a closer look, check out the slide show.
Amy Albert is editor of Custom Home and a senior editor at Builder. She covers all aspects of design. Previously, she
was kitchen design editor at Bon Appetit;
before that, she was senior editor at Fine
Cooking, where she shot, edited, and wrote stories on kitchen design. Amy
studied art history with an emphasis on architecture and urban design at the
University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Los Angeles. Write her at [email protected], follow her on Twitter @CustomHomeMag and @amyatbuilder, or join her on Custom Home's Facebook page.
