Sunset's Idea Houses
In San Francisco's Mission District, Sunset's newest Idea House proves that you don't have to live off the grid to enjoy the benefits of eco-friendly design.
Being radical in San Francisco's eclectic Mission District is no easy feat. But even in this neighborhood — with its vivacious street life and tattooed residents — Sunset's latest Idea House stands out. It's the most excitingly experimental home we've created since our program began in 1998.
Our San Francisco home is also the first Idea House to rise in an urban setting. Which is part of the point: Until now, eco-friendly architecture has often been limited to the West's rural or exurban regions, where there's more space for new construction and potentially bulky energy systems. Our goal was to show that resource-savvy design can be just as appropriate in more densely populated cities and suburban neighborhoods.
Designed by architect John Lum, the building — which includes a main house and an apartment — occupies a 50- by 70-foot corner lot. Lum's plan maximizes natural light and airflow on each of three levels, with rooms leading off an open, central stairway made of glass and steel. The main living and dining areas and kitchen are on the top floor to take advantage of views across the city. "It's kind of an upside-down house," Lum explains. "The public spaces are at the top, and the more private master suite and guest rooms are below." But what makes the home truly groundbreaking are the eco-features it incorporates, some of them still in experimental stages. For example, hot water will be provided by rooftop tubes that collect solar energy, says Matt Golden, founder and CEO of Sustainable Spaces and a project consultant. The home's electricity will come from SunPower solar panels and a wind turbine installed in the backyard — a power source so unusual in San Francisco, the builder had to get a one-year provisional test permit before it could be installed. A high-tech resource-monitoring system will keep tabs on energy and water use.
GREEN SYSTEMSHarnessing sun, wind, rain, and the latest technology, these systems are as eco-minded as the house itself.
Resource-monitoring system
Developed by Greater Than Green, this system lets homeowners track which activities are drawing the most water or power, showing current info and storing data for comparison over time.
Wind turbine
Although not new in rural areas, wind turbines are cutting-edge in a city setting. A consultant will monitor how much power is generated, providing results to consumers, the manufacturer, and the city.
Solar water-heating system
Banks of double-walled glass cylinders called evacuated tubes capture the sun's energy and heat water in a storage tank, which provides hot water.
Living roof
A section of the roof is planted with groundcover and perennials, which provide natural insulation and help keep the home's interior at an even temperature.
Rainwater catchment
Water runoff from the roof will be stored in two underground cisterns with a combined capacity of 4,000 gallons. This water is used in cold-water laundry and to flush toilets.
SUSTAINABLE CHOICES
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| Energy-saving lighting |
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| Energy-efficient glass |
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| Recycled-glass counters |
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| Low-VOC paint |
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| Living roof |
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These six examples demonstrate the range of environmentally friendly ideas and products built into the home. Floors, ceiling lights, roofs, walls, and windows all play a part in giving this house its resource-efficient character.
Energy-saving lighting
Glowing fluorescents brighten the first-floor ceiling, combining energy efficiency and contemporary elegance. Pale blue acrylic-resin panels made by Lumicor act as light diffusers. Other fluorescent fixtures are used throughout the house.
Reclaimed-wood floors
Antique barn siding from Carlisle Wide Plank Floors takes on a new role as textured flooring in the apartment. The wood's rich patina adds warmth to the youthful space.
Energy-efficient glass
The stairwell becomes a light well thanks to channel-shaped panels of glass from Technical Glass Products' Pilkington Profilit line. Sandwiched inside the glass panels is Nanogel aerogel, a Cabot Corporation product that improves the insulating properties of glass.
Recycled-glass counters
In the apartment kitchen, the Chivalry Blue Vetrazzo counter, fabricated by Baker Marble + Granite, gets its eye-catching shimmer from recycled beverage bottles and salvaged architectural and window glass mixed with cement. Palladian Gray Vetrazzo is used in the laundry room of the main house.
Low-VOC paint
The neighborhood-inspired paint palette is from Benjamin Moore's Aura line.
Living roof
At the top of the structure, plants will grow in a space between the living and dining areas. Visible through clerestory windows, the plants will act as air and sound insulators.
THE TEAM
Builder
Meridian Builders & Developers (415/826-1007)
Architect
John Lum Architecture (415/558-9550)
Landscape architect
Arterra Landscape Architects (415/861-3100)
Residential systems integrator
Intuitive Environments (650/325-7527)
Building performance consultant
Sustainable Spaces (415/294-5380)
More on the 2007 San Francisco Idea House »
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