This LEED Platinum house is a two-story contemporary “farm house” has many wonderful green features and a comfortable, easy relationship between inside and outside. The bottom floor and the enclosed courtyard can almost completely open up to each other, eliminating any concern about overheating, allowing the ocean breezes to permeate the house. The north wall of the house is 2″ thick plaster to serve as an additional thermal mass to the 25% flyash concrete floor.

Some of the many other green features besides passive solar heating and cooling design include: solar photovoltaic and thermal panels (for both radiant and hot water heating), zero VOC materials, advanced framing technique, complete fire/thermal densglass wrap and the elimination of shear walls through the use of hardiframes, energy star appliances, whole house fan, natural cool pantry storage, a focus on local and recycled materials, and roof/site run-off water storage.