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www.greenbuildermag.com 07.2012


OPENED JUNE 1Oth, VISION House® Los Angeles is the latest in the VISION House® Series


INSPIRED CONTEMPORARY KAA Design director of architecture Patti Baker describes the home’s style as warm California contemporary. KAA collabo- rated with Karen Putman of P2 on the project design. The California contempo- rary look both respects and takes inspi- ration from the historical references of 15th-century Spanish Mission architec- ture, and combines those references with the clean contemporary forms of wood and large expanses of glass. The result is a high-performance, inviting, green home—a sanctuary that one might not ever want to leave. From the curb, there are only hints at


what is within. The lot faces west; the ga- rage faces the street, protecting much of the house from afternoon sun. The drive- way is permeable. The home offi ce/guest suite is to the right of the garage. Above it is a screened and trellised second-fl oor deck. This southwest deck shields one of the bedrooms, and also provides the per- fect spot to enjoy sunset views. An entry patio garden on the right side


provides the home offi ce with an invit- ing garden view. Gardens line the entire home periphery. The front garden, with its built-in seating, gives the family a place to hang out and banter with neigh- bors walking to shops and restaurants along nearby Sunset Boulevard. Ditching the car and strolling are integral to the neighborhood experience, architectural designer Karen Putman says. Entry to the home is by way of a peace-


ful, meandering garden path along the home’s south side. Landscaping surrounds the home and blurs the boundaries be- tween indoors and out. The garden path leads to the sheltered front door about a third of the way down the south façade. Once inside the entry foyer, one has


choices: to the left is the home offi ce/ guest suite, straight ahead along the north wall are stairs leading to the second fl oor, and to the right is the formal dining area that leads to the open public areas to the house—the kitchen and main living area. A change in ceiling height defi nes this open living space into “rooms.” A white ceiling defi nes the formal dining area. Plank ceilings demark the informal continued on page 36


Behind the Walls


One of the problems in defi ning green is that much of what makes a home a resource and power- conserving wonder is hidden—no one can see it. And that is true of VISION House®


Los Angeles.


Framing: The walls are 2” x 6” studs, 24” on center. Much of the wood is forest- preserving, engineered wood, such as the Boise Cascade engineered-wood fl oor joists.


effi cient 16 SEER (Seasonal Energy Ef- fi ciency Ratio) and 13 EER (Energy Ef- fi ciency Ratio). And the system is con- trolled with the Trane ComfortLink, a wall-mounted touchpad that gives residents remote access to weather and more on its color touch-screen display.


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Windows: These include dual-glazed, low-E, Max Plus (Solarban 60) with a U- value of .26-.29 from JELD-WEN and Western Windows.


Insulation: Spray polyurethane foam insulation (Johns Manville’s Corbond MCS) in the roof brings its R-value to 30. Johns Manville blown-in Spider insula- tion makes for an R-19 wall. And that insulation is tight—with no gaps.


Ductwork: The R-8 ductwork is all kept within the conditioned space; it’s anti- microbial, too.


Air Filtration and Intake: A Trane CleanEff ects whole house air fi ltration system uses an ultraviolet-light air-pu- rifi cation system to kill germs, viruses, bacteria, mold and fungi—it removes 99.98% of airborne allergens that pass through the filter. Also, because the house is tight, there is the Trane FreshEf- fects energy-recovery ventilation (ERV) system to make sure there are healthy air changes within the home.


Heating and Cooling: Radiant-floor heating is located under the fi nished floors. The HVAC systems are highly


Water Savers: All faucets and fi xtures are either high or very high effi ciency– that. A drip irrigation system saves water used for watering outdoors.


Water Heating: A Noritz tankless unit supplies hot water on demand.


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