skip to main content
RUG & DECOR EVENT
0
Your shopping cart is empty.
Sign In
Join as a Pro
History of Houzz
GET IDEAS
PHOTOS
Kitchen & DiningKitchenDining RoomPantryGreat RoomBreakfast Nook
Bed & BathBathroomPowder RoomBedroomStorage & ClosetBaby & Kids
LivingLiving RoomFamily RoomSunroom
OutdoorLandscapePatioDeckPoolBackyardPorchExteriorOutdoor KitchenFront YardDrivewayPoolhouse
WalkwaysStaircaseEntryHall
Bar & WineHome BarWine Cellar
UtilityLaundryGarageMudroom
More RoomsGame RoomHome OfficeBasementCraftLibraryGym
Popular Design IdeasKitchen BacksplashFirepit
FireplaceDeck RailingPergolaPrivacy FenceSmall Closet
MAGAZINE
Stories and GuidesPopular StoriesRenovation Cost Guides
DISCUSSIONS
Get AdviceDesign DilemmasBefore & After
HOUZZ TV
HOUZZ RESEARCH
FIND PROFESSIONALS
PROFESSIONALS
DesignArchitects & Building DesignersKitchen & Bathroom DesignersInterior Designers & DecoratorsDesign-Build FirmsLighting Designers & Suppliers
RemodelingKitchen & Bathroom RemodelersGeneral ContractorsHome BuildersTile & Countertop ContractorsMasonry & Concrete ContractorsExterior & Siding ContractorsStair & Railing ContractorsFireplace Contractors
RenovationCarpentersCabinetry & Cabinet MakersFlooring ContractorsWindow ContractorsDoor ContractorsGlass & Shower Door ContractorsCarpet Contractors
OutdoorLandscape Architects & DesignersLandscape ContractorsDeck & Patio BuildersFence ContractorsDriveway & Paving ContractorsSwimming Pool BuildersHot Tub & Spa Dealers
ServicesPaintersRoofing & Gutter ContractorsOrganizers & Closet DesignersHome StagersGarage Door ServicesWindow Treatment ServicesPaint & Wall Covering Dealers
Appliances & SystemsAppliance Sales & ServicesHVAC ContractorsHome Theater & AutomationOutdoor Lighting & AV SpecialistsSolar Energy Contractors
All ProfessionalsAll ServicesFor Professionals
SHOP BY DEPARTMENT
KITCHEN & DINING
Kitchen & Dining FurnitureSinks & FaucetsKitchen AppliancesTabletopCabinets & StorageKnobs & PullsKitchen LightingTileCookware & BakewareTools & GadgetsView All
FURNITURE
Living RoomKitchen & DiningHome OfficeOutdoorBedroomStorageBathroomView All
BATH
Bathroom VanitiesShowersBathtubsBathroom LightingFaucetsBathroom SinksTileBath AccessoriesBath LinensMedicine CabinetsView All
DECOR
RugsMirrorsWall DecorDecorative AccentsArtworkPillows & ThrowsHoliday DecorView All
BEDROOM
Beds & HeadboardsBeddingDressersNightstandsBenchesBedroom DecorLampsCloset StorageFutonsChaisesView All
HOME IMPROVEMENT
HardwareTileBathroom FixturesKitchen FixturesHeating & CoolingBuilding MaterialsTools & EquipmentView All
LIVING
Coffee & Accent TablesRugsSofas & SectionalsArmchairs & Accent ChairsTV Stand & Media StorageHome DecorLampsArtworkBookcasesFireplaces & AccessoriesView All
OUTDOOR
Patio FurnitureOutdoor DecorOutdoor LightingPool & SpaLawn & GardenOutdoor StructuresOutdoor CookingView All
LIGHTING
ChandeliersPendant LightsFlush-MountsBathroom & VanityWall SconcesCeiling FansTable LampsFloor LampsKitchen & CabinetOutdoor LightingView All
MORE
Storage & OrganizationHome OfficeBaby & KidsHome BarCleaning & LaundryPet SuppliesHoliday DecorView All
Looking for the perfect gift? Send a Houzz Gift Card!
SALE
ON SALE - UP TO 75% OFF
Bathroom VanitiesChandeliersBar StoolsPendant LightsRugsLiving Room ChairsDining Room FurnitureWall LightingCoffee TablesSide & End TablesHome Office FurnitureSofasBedroom FurnitureLampsMirrors
RUG & DECOR EVENT
Up to 75% Off
Rugs in Neutral Colors 
Under $99
High-Traffic Runner Rugs 
Up to 65% Off
Bestselling Rugs and Decor 
Up to 70% Off
Round Rugs 
Green Building
Green Building
The Passive House: What It Is and Why You Should Care
Top Ideabooks
The Passive House: What It Is and Why You Should CareWhat's LEED All About, Anyway?5 Common-Sense Ways to Get a Greener Home Design11 Reasons to Live in a House of Straw
Appears in
Architecture
Home Tech
Home Tech
4 Trends in Smart Appliances and Features at CES 2021
Top Ideabooks
4 Trends in Smart Appliances and Features at CES 20216 Video Backdrops to Elevate Your Work-From-Home TimeCover Your Floor in Virtual Tile Using Houzz’s Enhanced AppThese New Products Aim to Make Your Kitchen Smarter
Appears in
Life
Home Innovations
Home Innovations
The Inevitable Future of Drones Around Your Home
Top Ideabooks
The Inevitable Future of Drones Around Your HomeConsidering Renting to Vacationers? Read This FirstHow to Add Toe Kick Drawers for More StorageThe Future of Smart Design: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle

Meet a High-Tech Home That Monitors Itself

Energy vampires have nowhere to hide in this LEED Platinum home, as energy efficient as it is architecturally beautiful

Bud Dietrich, AIA
Bud Dietrich, AIASeptember 26, 2013
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Florida, New Jersey & Wisconsin. Since 1996 I have worked from my home office and provide full architectural services exclusively to the single family residential market. My passion is to transform my clients' houses into their homes. I strive to have the "new" home accommodate my clients' lives without fighting them at every junction. I look to add curb appeal to encourage a beautiful streetscape. And I design any addition to look and feel like it has always been there. Our projects have won numerous design awards as well as having been featured on television (CBS News Sunday Morning, HGTV, CLTV, etc.), in magazines (Better Homes & Gardens, Trends, Womans Day, etc.) and in books (Taunton Press). So don't hesitate to contact me if you're looking to transform your house into your home.
More
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Not long ago a friend let us borrow her hybrid car so we could travel from Port Angeles, Washington, to Seattle. The car was amazingly energy efficient. A really cool feature was the dashboard display, which provided constant feedback on energy use and source. For example, when we were waiting at a drawbridge, we could see just when the gas engine provided power and when the car was in battery mode only. And while in motion, the display kept us informed as to how many miles per gallon we were getting. Sure enough, having that instant feedback altered the way I drove, going a little slower and not being, as my wife would say, Speed Racer all the time.

And the car was quite comfortable, even luxurious. It was a larger sedan that I could fit in comfortably, and it had a terrific sound system. Not once did we feel like we were giving up something in the name of efficiency. Which brings up the question: If we can build cars like this, why can't we do the same for houses?

Well, the good news is we can. Here's just one example: a home designed by Lake/Flato Architects, where some wonderful architecture is combined with energy efficiency for a truly special home.
Lake Flato Architects
The client approached the architects and asked for a highly sustainable home; the architects, who are committed to the 2030 Challenge, designed a home that is LEED Platinum certified. In brief, the 2030 Challenge is a goal that all new and renovated buildings be carbon neutral by the year 2030. A number of strategies, from low-tech yet appropriate site design to high-tech photovoltaic collectors, were used to achieve that goal with this house.

But what makes this home special is its design. In fact, Tenna Florian, the project architect, says her favorite aspect of the house is how its shape was determined by existing tree locations. Rather than having rooms arranged in a linear composition, the home is L-shaped to accommodate existing features of the site. While one leg of the L has a lot of glass area to create light and bright public spaces, glazing was kept to a minimum on the other leg.
Lake Flato Architects
Extensive clerestory windows turn the home into a wonderful and warm lantern in the evening while ensuring that no artificial lighting is needed throughout the entire day.

While there's a lot of glass in this home, it's strategically placed to get the maximum benefit with the minimum cost and energy loss. Tenna points out that a typical custom house has 30 to 40 percent of the wall area as glass, but this house has 23 percent, which is closer to a typical house.
Lake Flato Architects
Much of the glass is in the form of clerestory windows, which provide wonderful views of the sky and treetops.

The main entry is at the intersection of the two legs of the L. This entry is kept low, with a ceiling height of only 7 feet, 6 inches, to give a sense of compression and make the main living space feel taller and brighter.
Lake Flato Architects
By providing this interior courtyard at the intersection of the two legs of the L, the architects ensured that each room gets natural light from at least two sides. This again keeps the interior light and bright and, once the courtyard landscaping matures, will allow views of nature from every room.
Lake Flato Architects
In keeping with the clients' goal of creating a highly sustainable home, a photovoltaic system generates electricity. The energy produced by this system is monitored in real time, so the owners can see how their house is performing.

The monitoring system, by eMonitor, cost less than $1,000 and helps the owners understand where the energy comes from and how it's being used. For example, this graphic shows a large fall-off of energy production from the photovoltaic system. This enabled the owners to quickly see that there was a problem, diagnose its cause and do the necessary fix. If it hadn't been for the monitoring system, the problem could easily have gone unnoticed.
Lake Flato Architects
This graphic is really telling; it shows how much energy each activity consumes. (It should be noted that the home has several television sets, computers and other modern-day tools. The owners don't, by any stretch of the imagination, live anything but 21st-century lives.)

This graphic shows that a small item, the instant hot water dispenser in the kitchen, is a large consumer of energy. Rather than giving up the pleasure and convenience of having a cup of tea without waiting, the homeowners installed an on-off switch to limit the amount of time the hot water dispenser draws power.

The home is also equipped with a "green switch" in the garage. When the owners leave the house for any extended period, they can easily flip the green switch to turn off many of those items that would stay on and continue to draw power. This kind of power usage, sometimes referred to as a vampire load, can be quite significant. Think about all of those devices that keep drawing power even when not in use.
Lake Flato Architects
The monitoring system also provides insights into how much energy the house was designed to consume, how much energy it was designed to produce and how much actual energy is consumed and produced. Real-time metrics tell the owners whether they're hitting their goals and, if not, why not.
Lake Flato Architects
Drumroll, please ... in 2012 the house produced more energy than it consumed. Wouldn't it be nice for all of our houses to do that?
Lake Flato Architects
While the monitoring and photovoltaic systems are all really high-tech approaches to energy efficiency, there's nothing better than creating enjoyable spaces that let us live comfortably and ...
Lake Flato Architects
... harvesting and repurposing 100 percent of what normally gets wasted — as in, all of the rainwater's getting captured, used for irrigation or returned to the community's water supply.
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
See 33 comments
Explore Related Topics
Green BuildingHome TechHome Innovations
Read Related Stories
The Passive House: What It Is and Why You Should CareThe Passive House: What It Is and Why You Should Care
By Mariana Pickering·107
Architecture
What's LEED All About, Anyway?What's LEED All About, Anyway?
By Mariana Pickering·108
Architecture
5 Common-Sense Ways to Get a Greener Home Design5 Common-Sense Ways to Get a Greener Home Design
By Anne Higuera CGR, CAPS·31
Green Building
11 Reasons to Live in a House of Straw11 Reasons to Live in a House of Straw
By Liz Durnan·91
Architecture
Life Without Air Conditioning? These Passively Cooled Homes Say YesLife Without Air Conditioning? These Passively Cooled Homes Say Yes
By John Hill·50
Architecture
How to Plan a Home’s Design Around People and the PlanetHow to Plan a Home’s Design Around People and the Planet
By Amanda Pollard·15
Events
5 Sustainable Flooring Materials to Consider for Your Home5 Sustainable Flooring Materials to Consider for Your Home
By Barbara Milner·22
Materials
A Remodel That Puts Sustainability Front and CenterA Remodel That Puts Sustainability Front and Center
By Rebecca Gross·41
Houzz Tours
3 Stunning Indian Homes With Eco-Friendly Elements3 Stunning Indian Homes With Eco-Friendly Elements
By Vinita Kunnath·14
Homes Around the World
Designer Tips for Decorating With Sustainability in MindDesigner Tips for Decorating With Sustainability in Mind
By Mitchell Parker·6
Houzz TV Live
How to Recycle Your Kitchen CabinetsHow to Recycle Your Kitchen Cabinets
By Nicole Jacobs·54
Kitchen Cabinets
Are These Sustainable Bathroom Countertop Materials for You?Are These Sustainable Bathroom Countertop Materials for You?
By Barbara Milner·15
Materials
An Energy-Efficient Getaway on a Steep Site in Ski CountryAn Energy-Efficient Getaway on a Steep Site in Ski Country
By Becky Harris·21
Houzz Tours
5 Reasons to Add a Living Wall to Your Home5 Reasons to Add a Living Wall to Your Home
By John Lea·21
Architecture
5 Sustainable Kitchen Countertop Materials to Consider5 Sustainable Kitchen Countertop Materials to Consider
By Barbara Milner·48
Materials
Shop Related Categories
Home Electronics
Home Electronics
Fireplaces
Fireplaces
Vacuum Cleaners
Vacuum Cleaners
Space Heaters
Space Heaters
Alarm Clocks
Alarm Clocks
Thermostats
Thermostats
People who liked this story also liked
The Passive House: What It Is and Why You Should Care
The Passive House: What It Is and Why You Should CareFull Story
What's LEED All About, Anyway?
What's LEED All About, Anyway?Full Story
5 Common-Sense Ways to Get a Greener Home Design
5 Common-Sense Ways to Get a Greener Home DesignFull Story
11 Reasons to Live in a House of Straw
11 Reasons to Live in a House of StrawFull Story
Life Without Air Conditioning? These Passively Cooled Homes Say Yes
Life Without Air Conditioning? These Passively Cooled Homes Say YesFull Story
How to Plan a Home’s Design Around People and the Planet
How to Plan a Home’s Design Around People and the PlanetFull Story
5 Sustainable Flooring Materials to Consider for Your Home
5 Sustainable Flooring Materials to Consider for Your HomeFull Story
A Remodel That Puts Sustainability Front and Center
A Remodel That Puts Sustainability Front and CenterFull Story
3 Stunning Indian Homes With Eco-Friendly Elements
3 Stunning Indian Homes With Eco-Friendly ElementsFull Story
Designer Tips for Decorating With Sustainability in Mind
Designer Tips for Decorating With Sustainability in MindFull Story
Sponsored
M & D Roofing & Renovations
1 Review
  • United States
  • ABOUT
  • CAREERS
  • MOBILE APPS
  • PROFESSIONALS
  • BUTTONS
  • FOR BRANDS
  • SELL
  • Privacy & Notice
  • Terms
  • © 2021 Houzz Inc.