View from the front of the house, which highlights the curved structure. Solar PV panels are set on the curved roof.
Inspiration for a rustic two-story concrete fiberboard orange garage remodel in Chicago with a shingle roof

The owners of this inner- SE Buckman beauty wanted to reinvigorate the home's historic 1913 charm while tastefully balancing clean, contemporary design with deep energy upgrades. Green Hammer met the challenge with an expanded gourmet kitchen, fine woodwork, reclaiming the attic for a bedroom suite and yoga space with views of the Portland skyline and all the accouterments of a great Green Hammer project like heat recovery ventilation, comprehensive energy and weatherization upgrades, and a rooftop solar array. Photo: Bill Purcell

Urban rooftop deck...in this project we used composite wood decking, porcelain tile and corrugated metal to blend with surroundings. Natural gas fire table and lighting were added for night time ambiance. Planters were added to bring softness to the space. Photo Credit - Jennifer Hanson

Cabana Cottage- Florida Cracker inspired kitchenette and bath house, separated by a dog-trot
This is an example of a huge farmhouse drought-tolerant, privacy and full sun rooftop landscaping in Tampa with decking for spring.

Transitional exterior home idea in Los Angeles

Ipe deck tiles, 40 solar panels, house is net positive and putting power back into the grid.
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern rooftop balcony deck remodel in Salt Lake City with no cover

GREAT LIVING SPACE... Enjoy your morning coffee in the dining room looking out at the unobstructed blue-sky views. There is ample cross breeze in this corner unit and while in the living room you can enjoy the outlook of beautiful green foliage. This enormous one-bedroom condo offers spacious rooms and hallways. The large, covered balcony is ideal for a BBQ and additional outdoor living space. This corner unit includes 1 parking space, storage on the same floor as the unit, and shared laundry in the common area which is partially powered by the rooftop installation of SOLAR panels. This is a well-maintained pet-friendly building with rentals allowed and no age restrictions. Perfectly located across from Crystal Pool/Central Park which includes tennis, basketball courts with surrounding fields, and playground areas. All of this is within walking distance to downtown restaurants, shopping, and entertainment with a convenient location for public transit. | Karen Love 250.727.5868 | RE/MAX Island Properties & www.KarenLove.com |

This Greek Revival row house in Boerum Hill was previously owned by a local architect who renovated it several times, including the addition of a two-story steel and glass extension at the rear. The new owners came to us seeking to restore the house and its original formality, while adapting it to the modern needs of a family of five. The detailing of the 25 x 36 foot structure had been lost and required some sleuthing into the history of Greek Revival style in historic Brooklyn neighborhoods. In addition to completely re-framing the interior, the house also required a new south-facing brick façade due to significant deterioration. The modern extension was replaced with a more traditionally detailed wood and copper- clad bay, still open to natural light and the garden view without sacrificing comfort. The kitchen was relocated from the first floor to the garden level with an adjacent formal dining room. Both rooms were enlarged from their previous iterations to accommodate weekly dinners with extended family. The kitchen includes a home office and breakfast nook that doubles as a homework station. The cellar level was further excavated to accommodate finished storage space and a playroom where activity can be monitored from the kitchen workspaces. The parlor floor is now reserved for entertaining. New pocket doors can be closed to separate the formal front parlor from the more relaxed back portion, where the family plays games or watches TV together. At the end of the hall, a powder room with brass details, and a luxe bar with antique mirrored backsplash and stone tile flooring, leads to the deck and direct garden access. Because of the property width, the house is able to provide ample space for the interior program within a shorter footprint. This allows the garden to remain expansive, with a small lawn for play, an outdoor food preparation area with a cast-in-place concrete bench, and a place for entertaining towards the rear. The newly designed landscaping will continue to develop, further enhancing the yard’s feeling of escape, and filling-in the views from the kitchen and back parlor above. A less visible, but equally as conscious, addition is a rooftop PV solar array that provides nearly 100% of the daily electrical usage, with the exception of the AC system on hot summer days. The well-appointed interiors connect the traditional backdrop of the home to a youthful take on classic design and functionality. The materials are elegant without being precious, accommodating a young, growing family. Unique colors and patterns provide a feeling of luxury while inviting inhabitants and guests to relax and enjoy this classic Brooklyn brownstone. This project won runner-up in the architecture category for the 2017 NYC&G Innovation in Design Awards and was featured in The American House: 100 Contemporary Homes. Photography by Francis Dzikowski / OTTO

At the apex of a quiet cul de sac, with the Brunswick Commons trail meandering just footsteps from the backyard, an active retired couple wanted to build their forever home. They wanted the most efficient house they could build with at least 100% of the energy coming from their rooftop solar array. Even with a wall of pine trees directly to the south Michael Maines was able to design a house that, with high attention to detailing, we were able to make a net positive energy home. The 48 solar panels on the roof will make more than enough to power everything in the home and the extra will be credited toward the couple’s camp in northern Maine. Our diligent focus on air sealing paid off with a blower door shell test of .12 ACH50 (for comparison, passive house requires below .60 ACH50). With 12 inch thick double stud walls packed tight with recycled cellulose insulation, and heated and cooled with heat pumps, this house will stay comfortable all year round.

The owners of this inner- SE Buckman beauty wanted to reinvigorate the home's historic 1913 charm while tastefully balancing clean, contemporary design with deep energy upgrades. Green Hammer met the challenge with an expanded gourmet kitchen, fine woodwork, reclaiming the attic for a bedroom suite and yoga space with views of the Portland skyline and all the accouterments of a great Green Hammer project like heat recovery ventilation, comprehensive energy and weatherization upgrades, and a rooftop solar array. Photo: Bill Purcell

Photo credit Michael Moran. The design for this client’s “dream house on the water” capitalizes on every opportunity to incorporate views of the Long Island Sound within the home. The placement and expanse of the fir windows and sliding doors underscore the water’s proximity. The interior gathering space spills out onto the raised outdoor deck and lap pool overlooking the seawall. Reducing the house’s carbon footprint is another priority, accomplished by generating renewable energy on site. The precise angle of the house on the property is calculated for optimal solar energy production by the rooftop photovoltaic panels and a geothermal system installed under the driveway provides heating and cooling for the house. Due to the fact that the site is located on a floodplain, the ground floor of the house is raised and no basement is allowed. This presents a challenge in terms of carving out enough storage space in the main house that one might normally relegate to a basement. Rooms are efficiently sized and serve multiple functions and storage is built-in wherever possible.

OVERVIEW Set into a mature Boston area neighborhood, this sophisticated 2900SF home offers efficient use of space, expression through form, and myriad of green features. MULTI-GENERATIONAL LIVING Designed to accommodate three family generations, paired living spaces on the first and second levels are architecturally expressed on the facade by window systems that wrap the front corners of the house. Included are two kitchens, two living areas, an office for two, and two master suites. CURB APPEAL The home includes both modern form and materials, using durable cedar and through-colored fiber cement siding, permeable parking with an electric charging station, and an acrylic overhang to shelter foot traffic from rain. FEATURE STAIR An open stair with resin treads and glass rails winds from the basement to the third floor, channeling natural light through all the home’s levels. LEVEL ONE The first floor kitchen opens to the living and dining space, offering a grand piano and wall of south facing glass. A master suite and private ‘home office for two’ complete the level. LEVEL TWO The second floor includes another open concept living, dining, and kitchen space, with kitchen sink views over the green roof. A full bath, bedroom and reading nook are perfect for the children. LEVEL THREE The third floor provides the second master suite, with separate sink and wardrobe area, plus a private roofdeck. ENERGY The super insulated home features air-tight construction, continuous exterior insulation, and triple-glazed windows. The walls and basement feature foam-free cavity & exterior insulation. On the rooftop, a solar electric system helps offset energy consumption. WATER Cisterns capture stormwater and connect to a drip irrigation system. Inside the home, consumption is limited with high efficiency fixtures and appliances. TEAM Architecture & Mechanical Design – ZeroEnergy Design Contractor – Aedi Construction Photos – Eric Roth Photography

derikolsen.com

South exterior.
Large tropical three-story concrete exterior home idea in Dallas

Example of a mid-sized minimalist gray two-story stone flat roof design in Los Angeles with a gray roof

Madrona Passive House, a new Seattle home designed by SHED Architecture & Design and built by Hammer & Hand, combines contemporary design with high performance building to create an environmentally responsive and resource-efficient house. The home’s airtight, super-insulated building envelope and passive design minimize energy consumption while providing superior thermal comfort to occupants. A heat recovery ventilator supplies constant fresh air to the home’s interior while recovering 90% of thermal energy from exhaust air for reuse inside. A rooftop solar photovoltaic array will provide enough energy to offset most, perhaps all, of the home’s energy consumption on a net annual basis. To manage stormwater the project employs permeable pavers for site hardscape and two cisterns to capture and control rainwater from the home’s roof and the green roof on the garage. By investing in sustainable site development strategies, efficient building systems and an advanced envelope, the project aims to respect the home’s environmentally critical site and achieve one of the world’s most demanding building energy standards: Passive House. Photos by Mark Woods Photography.

Madrona Passive House, a new Seattle home designed by SHED Architecture & Design and built by Hammer & Hand, combines contemporary design with high performance building to create an environmentally responsive and resource-efficient house. The home’s airtight, super-insulated building envelope and passive design minimize energy consumption while providing superior thermal comfort to occupants. A heat recovery ventilator supplies constant fresh air to the home’s interior while recovering 90% of thermal energy from exhaust air for reuse inside. A rooftop solar photovoltaic array will provide enough energy to offset most, perhaps all, of the home’s energy consumption on a net annual basis. To manage stormwater the project employs permeable pavers for site hardscape and two cisterns to capture and control rainwater from the home’s roof and the green roof on the garage. By investing in sustainable site development strategies, efficient building systems and an advanced envelope, the project aims to respect the home’s environmentally critical site and achieve one of the world’s most demanding building energy standards: Passive House. Photos by Mark Woods Photography.

Madrona Passive House, a new Seattle home designed by SHED Architecture & Design and built by Hammer & Hand, combines contemporary design with high performance building to create an environmentally responsive and resource-efficient house. The home’s airtight, super-insulated building envelope and passive design minimize energy consumption while providing superior thermal comfort to occupants. A heat recovery ventilator supplies constant fresh air to the home’s interior while recovering 90% of thermal energy from exhaust air for reuse inside. A rooftop solar photovoltaic array will provide enough energy to offset most, perhaps all, of the home’s energy consumption on a net annual basis. To manage stormwater the project employs permeable pavers for site hardscape and two cisterns to capture and control rainwater from the home’s roof and the green roof on the garage. By investing in sustainable site development strategies, efficient building systems and an advanced envelope, the project aims to respect the home’s environmentally critical site and achieve one of the world’s most demanding building energy standards: Passive House. Photos by Mark Woods Photography.