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Houzz Tour: Zero-Energy Renovated Victorian in San Francisco
A 1904 home that's entirely energy efficient? Yes, courtesy of solar panels, radiant heating and water reclamation
Even in a city known for its creative alternative energy solutions, this San Francisco home stands out. The clients are an alternative energy industry executive, a commercial photographer and their child, and the biggest priority was to make a home that was completely self-sustaining — especially challenging because the house is a 1904 Victorian.
Despite the high demands, principal architect Ross Levy and project architect Karen Anderson of Levy Art & Architecture designed a sleek and energy-efficient home that still echoes the structure's history. Solar panels, radiant heating, water reclamation and an organic garden all combine in an energy-efficient and family-friendly home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their child
Location: San Francisco
Size: 2,424 square feet
Despite the high demands, principal architect Ross Levy and project architect Karen Anderson of Levy Art & Architecture designed a sleek and energy-efficient home that still echoes the structure's history. Solar panels, radiant heating, water reclamation and an organic garden all combine in an energy-efficient and family-friendly home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their child
Location: San Francisco
Size: 2,424 square feet
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Front: The home was built in 1904, so some structural challenges came with the renovation. The existing home had many building code violations, and the team had to work to bring it up to current earthquake standards. They also had to keep the zero energy goal in mind, since it required a smaller architectural footprint. "The tight envelope necessary for energy efficiency can be difficult when working with old, zero-lot-line walls," says Levy.
San Francisco is known for its stunning Victorian homes, and the family wanted to maintain the original facade. While the rest of the house was built and renovated, the facade was held in place, then restored.
San Francisco is known for its stunning Victorian homes, and the family wanted to maintain the original facade. While the rest of the house was built and renovated, the facade was held in place, then restored.
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Back: In a traditional Victorian style, the front of the home is made up of several small rooms, which originally served as parlors. Levy shifted the focus of the house to the back, where the home faces a sunny garden. The front rooms were then reshaped as media, study and entry spaces.
Levy and Anderson envisioned the backyard as an extension of the home's living space, particularly appropriate for San Francisco's climate. A water reclamation system and onsite rainwater disposal system were designed, along with organic vegetable plots. The yard, which has an Ipe deck and decomposed granite patio, remains open to neighboring backyards for a more open and communal space.
Siding: HardiePlank Lap Siding; rain screen: Swisspearl cement composite panels; solar panels: Sunpower
Levy and Anderson envisioned the backyard as an extension of the home's living space, particularly appropriate for San Francisco's climate. A water reclamation system and onsite rainwater disposal system were designed, along with organic vegetable plots. The yard, which has an Ipe deck and decomposed granite patio, remains open to neighboring backyards for a more open and communal space.
Siding: HardiePlank Lap Siding; rain screen: Swisspearl cement composite panels; solar panels: Sunpower
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| The interior glows with natural light. Skylights, large windows and energy-efficient LED lighting keep it open and bright year-round. All the electricity is powered by Sunpower photovoltaic panels. While Levy Art & Architecture makes sustainability a high priority in all of its designs, this home is the first all-electric residence the firm has put together. It captures solar power, then holds it with open-cell foam insulation and low-infiltration windows. Flooring: engineered maple; stair railing and guardrail: custom steel and glass railings by Philip Tiffin, 522 Industries; kitchen cabinets and bar: SieMatic |
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The back of the house consists entirely of open living spaces, including the kitchen, allowing flow of light and air. Like the rest of the house, the kitchen was designed in a simple and efficient style. Custom cabinets, Caesarstone counters and glass tile combine in a seamless and modern look.
Counters: Caesarstone
Counters: Caesarstone
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Levy and Anderson had the kitchen cabinets custom made with nonformaldehyde plywood. Both the glass tiles and the countertops are made with recycled materials and have low VOC content.
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The steel and glass stairwell connects all the levels through the center of the house. Large windows and skylights let natural light into every open floor — sunlight from the roof actually reaches all the way down into the basement level.
Windows: Marvin Windows and Doors; skylights: Velux
Windows: Marvin Windows and Doors; skylights: Velux
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The bathrooms use recycled materials and have plenty of natural light through the skylights and interior windows to cut down on electricity needs. Water-saving fixtures and low-flow showerheads were also installed.
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The bedrooms — still waiting to be furnished when these photos were taken — overlook the patio and garden plots in the backyard. Large windows and a balcony complete the connection between the indoors and the outdoors, something very important to the family.
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The home's hot water is generated from a high-efficiency electric water heater from General Electric. It's a hybrid pump that's a relatively new design and contributes to the home's radiant heating system.
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"The blend of the old and new is typical when we work in a historic city," says Levy. "While we all enjoy the urban fabric that is San Francisco, few of us want to live in small and dark rooms. The two faces of the house simply represent this."
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Here's a glimpse of the home's electric system. Solar panels on the roof were oriented to the east and to the west, which means that energy production is possible from sunrise to sunset. A main electric panel in the basement of the home distributes electricity to the rest of the house and allows for a charging station for the couple's two electric cars.
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The radiant heating system allows for a temperature-controlled environment without the use of electricity. A heat pump on the roof of the house extracts hot air from the roof to heat water, and water tanks under the house also heat water.
More Houzz Tours:
The Concord Green Healthy House
A Tiny, Happy, Eco-Friendly Home
Making Prefab Work for All
More Houzz Tours:
The Concord Green Healthy House
A Tiny, Happy, Eco-Friendly Home
Making Prefab Work for All
Ideabook published on March 5, 2012.
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Bet they bought that house because it had a beautiful facade. Why couldn't they remember that long enough to let it have an effect on the interiors? The original elements they put in a landfill are historic artifacts that no amount of carbon-neutrality can ever restore.
What is the Energy Balance for this building? I do not think that 900SF solar panels (efficiency 18%) are going to be able to heat 2500SF of living area. The owners will end up paying for gas to run the radiant heating, but they will profit from the "green tax credit".
Anyways the solar panels should have been oriented to the southwest to be more efficient, remember we live in northern latitude, not in the Equatorial line.
I would like to know how they insulate the "zero property walls" and the roof.
Other than that, I like the 3D schematics