Houzz Tour: A Seattle Home Reaches for High Sustainability
Tapping into rainwater, sunlight and natural ventilation, a Washington state home gets both green cred and a gorgeous look
Bruce Parker
September 14, 2012
I blog about small houses, community and sustainability. In 2009 I founded microhouse, an award winning design collaborative to focus on cottage housing and backyard cottage design. To learn more about backyard cottages please visit ( http://www.microhousenw.com/ or http://www.seattlebackyardcottage.blogspot.com/)
I blog about small houses, community and sustainability. In 2009 I founded microhouse,... More
Intent on following their passions of modern and green design, Five Dot Design Build decided to create a truly sustainable home for a Seattle couple and their son. The city site featured a large lot with remnants of a centuries-old orchard. Project architects Stephanie Ingram and Geoff Piper started with core sustainability measures — mainly orienting the house to benefit from solar access and natural ventilation. This approach, along with incorporating energy and water conservation systems, natural lighting and local materials and finishes, allowed them to save money and energy.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their young son
Location: Seattle
Size: 3,300 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their young son
Location: Seattle
Size: 3,300 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths
The architects emphasized the relationship between the site and the building by creating indoor and outdoor spaces that respond to the surrounding environment and the changing seasons.
The rain garden is an important part of the storm-water management system and an integral part of the landscape design.
The rain garden is an important part of the storm-water management system and an integral part of the landscape design.
"We wanted to create a house that didn't hide its sustainable features but shows them off proudly, as design features that add to its unique and intensely local quality," says Ingram.
Instead of hiding the workings of their rainwater harvesting system, the designers took the opportunity to integrate them into the design, using the concrete tanks as a wall that creates an entry court and acts as a noise barrier from the street.
Instead of hiding the workings of their rainwater harvesting system, the designers took the opportunity to integrate them into the design, using the concrete tanks as a wall that creates an entry court and acts as a noise barrier from the street.
For the main living space, Ingram designed an open floor plan that would lend itself to informal family interaction.
Using reclaimed materials provided an opportunity to combine old with new — and add a sense of fun, too. Old doors from Seattle schools were hung with sliding barn door hardware.
The designers used finish materials with sustainable qualities whenever possible. Bamboo floors take advantage of a rapidly renewable material. The cabinets and shelving are made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)–certified wood. The tile all contains recycled content, and the bench top and fireplace surround are made of Paperstone — a solid-surface material made from postconsumer recycled paper. Exposed concrete floors on the main level are 15 percent fly ash, a by-product of coal production that can be used in place of cement.
Bench top: Paperstone
Using reclaimed materials provided an opportunity to combine old with new — and add a sense of fun, too. Old doors from Seattle schools were hung with sliding barn door hardware.
The designers used finish materials with sustainable qualities whenever possible. Bamboo floors take advantage of a rapidly renewable material. The cabinets and shelving are made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)–certified wood. The tile all contains recycled content, and the bench top and fireplace surround are made of Paperstone — a solid-surface material made from postconsumer recycled paper. Exposed concrete floors on the main level are 15 percent fly ash, a by-product of coal production that can be used in place of cement.
Bench top: Paperstone
A coffee table of reclaimed fir by urbanhardwoods is the centerpiece of the living room. The cabinets were built by the local company kerfdesign.
Low-VOC paints, formaldehyde-free plywood and prefinished floors all combine to minimize the amount of toxic off-gassing that typically occurs in new construction. With radiant floor heat there are no forced air ducts accumulating and redistributing dust and other particulates throughout the house.
Coffee table: urbanhardwoods; cabinets: kerfdesign
Low-VOC paints, formaldehyde-free plywood and prefinished floors all combine to minimize the amount of toxic off-gassing that typically occurs in new construction. With radiant floor heat there are no forced air ducts accumulating and redistributing dust and other particulates throughout the house.
Coffee table: urbanhardwoods; cabinets: kerfdesign
The kitchen, oriented toward the back of the house, blends into the main living space. The space opens out onto the back patio.
Cabinets, laminate countertop: kerfdesign; shelving: Rakks
Cabinets, laminate countertop: kerfdesign; shelving: Rakks
Ingram and Piper chose natural and reclaimed furnishings to soften the modern lines. A huge slab of salvaged willow tree trunk from a skate park site serves as a vanity in the half bath.
A superefficient boiler heats both the domestic hot water and the radiant floors. The house is plumbed for solar hot water preheat, which any future homeowners can easily add to further reduce utility costs.
Vanity: urbanhardwoods
A superefficient boiler heats both the domestic hot water and the radiant floors. The house is plumbed for solar hot water preheat, which any future homeowners can easily add to further reduce utility costs.
Vanity: urbanhardwoods
An old claw-foot tub and sink were refinished and reused, adding old-school texture to the modern bathroom.
Some of the rainwater falling on the house is plumbed into the home to supply water to the toilets and the laundry room. The remainder is captured in a rain garden and allowed to slowly infiltrate back into the ground. The city storm sewer system doesn't need to connect to the home, which allows the homeowners to cut their water bill in half.
Some of the rainwater falling on the house is plumbed into the home to supply water to the toilets and the laundry room. The remainder is captured in a rain garden and allowed to slowly infiltrate back into the ground. The city storm sewer system doesn't need to connect to the home, which allows the homeowners to cut their water bill in half.
Skylights above the stairway bring natural light deep into the house and add drama to an otherwise dark and narrow space.
Built Green gave this home their four-star certification. The vertical circulation is designed to provide stack ventilation, keeping the house cool on even the hottest days.
The building layout makes sure all the rooms except the media room get abundant natural light. Most have a southern exposure, ensuring maximum daylight in winter and reducing the need for artificial light.
The building layout makes sure all the rooms except the media room get abundant natural light. Most have a southern exposure, ensuring maximum daylight in winter and reducing the need for artificial light.
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I'm very interested in living in smaller well designed homes that make use of space cleverly. Since I have two kids a tiny home is out of the question, but I'd love to build a home that makes use of a lot of the clever storage ideas. I also think that plumbing rainwater to the toilets is an awesome idea. The concrete reservoirs are interesting, but I'm wondering why they didn't go for a standard plastic barrel that can be moved around more easily etc?
This is great! Thanks for sharing