We were honored to have our project in Santa Paula be one of two residential projects that received a design award from the Ventura County American Institute of Architects. We share this honor with the general Contractor on this project, Allen Associates.

The comment from the judges was that it was the only residential project that featured sustainable building practices as well as admirable aesthetics. There are still many who (mistakenly we think) believe that focusing on the advantages of “green” concerns will limit a building’s potential to be attractive. We’re happy to have a project that proves that wrong.

The contemporary house is stretched on the east/west axis, maximizing passive solar gain, cross ventilation, and day lighting. The exposed concrete slab is embedded with radiant heating. The walls and roof are factory-made structural insulated panels, with high insulation and low waste. The exterior materials are zero-maintenance integral-color stucco and steel-clad windows and steel roofing and fascias. The interior materials are a collection of non-toxic green materials. The onsite PV panels produce more energy than the house consumes, and the propane use is half of nearby similar-sized houses.