This photo features the green roof atop the Z6 house.
9: Z6 House
The Z6 House in Santa Monica, Calif., gets its name from the philosophy behind its construction. Specifically, it refers to the goal of attaining zero levels of these six factors: waste, energy, water, carbon, emissions and ignorance. This philosophy drove the owners and architects to use every green building method they could to make a sustainable and livable home. Builders succeeded in producing only a fraction (one-tenth) of the waste typically put out by home construction [source: AIA]. How did they do this? By actually building the house in pieces in a factory and then assembling these pieces on-site (which only took 13 hours). Not only is this method efficient, but it allows the owners to disassemble the house and move it to a new location should they choose. In addition, movable walls in all the bedrooms allow inhabitants to adapt the rooms to their needs.
As with many of the projects we'll discuss, the builders of the Z6 House incorporated an array of PV panels in hopes of providing 60 percent to 70 percent of the home's energy consumption [source: AIA]. The owners also chose energy efficient appliances. Using a solar hot water heater, which collects heat to use for the water, also reduces energy use significantly. This heater also contributes to warming the home by powering the radiant floor heating system. Special glazing on the house also allows for the winter sun to warm the house effectively. In the summer, ventilation in the structure allows breezes to cool the home. Architects also made sure balconies provided significant shading for hot days.
In their efforts to conserve water, architects incorporated several different green building methods. For example, a green roof with sedums and other plants allows a reduction in runoff. Other rainwater collects in a large water cistern, which irrigates the green roof when needed. Meanwhile, gray water irrigates the plants on the ground. In addition to these features, low flow faucets and showerheads contribute to reducing the amount of water used.
Owners made sure to select materials made with recycled products for things such as tiles and countertops, and even the steel frame. They also chose cork for the floors. Green building experts recommend cork as a practical and sustainable material because it is obtained without needing to cut down the tree from which it grows.
As with most sustainable buildings, architects expect the energy-efficient features, such as PV arrays, to save the owners enough money in energy bills to pay for themselves eventually. In this case, that payback should take eight to 10 years [source: sunenews]. To help keep the inhabitants aware of their energy use, a system allows them to monitor the home's consumption.
On the next page, we'll learn how a wall of plastic bottles can heat a home.
