CAZADERO -- "Every project has at its heart the people who created it, from the owner's initial desires and vision, to the architect, engineers, contractors and tradesmen who painstakingly made it real," according to David Leff, principal with LEFF Construction, the design-builder responsible for the almost 3,500-square-foot rustic lodge-style house that would become a dream home on a remote west Sonoma County hilltop.
Mr. Leff worked closely with architect Marilyn Standley, designer of the residence for Barbara Buck on a 775-acre property.
In the beginning, Ms. Buck wanted her new home to be very green and self-sufficient. While it was not feasible for the house to be entirely off the grid, given the remote site the size of the house and the energy requirements of the building, the residence is as close to being zero-net energy as possible.
[caption id="attachment_84164" align="alignleft" width="450"] Exterior view of the Barbara Buck residence on a Cazadero hilltop[/caption]
It is very spacious, light and airy with a strong connection between the inside and out. Three other indoor and outdoor fireplaces are wood burning. The owner originally wanted seven fireplaces, but wood-burning restrictions required the use of propane to fuel half of the six fireplaces installed.
The energy system has a photovoltaic component linked to a battery backup, in addition to a propane-fired generator.
The energy source for space and water heating is a pellet-fired boiler assisted by solar thermal. All of these systems had to be carefully controlled and integrated with complex and novel heating, cooling, lighting and power systems involving many subcontractors and consultants.
Passive ventilation avoided the use of refrigerated air conditioning, and passive air sensors allow fresh outside air to enter the house.
The widespread use of interior and exterior lighting utilizes high-efficiency LEDs to meet energy efficiency requirements. This, as well as all power usage, is controlled and monitored from the owner's iPad with the Savant system.
While not LEED certified, the home was built in accordance with LEED Platinum standards.
With high ceilings, maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures could have been an issue in cold weather. This was addressed by using green features such as triple-glazed windows, structural insulated panel (SIP) construction providing R-60 insulation roof and ceiling insulation and R-40 in the walls.
There is thermal mass-provided passive solar heating, modern control technology for ventilation, lighting, heating and night-time cooling, VOC-free finishes and adhesives as well as sustainably harvested lumber and other building materials with high recycled content.
The mechanical system uses a combined hydronic process -- controlled by ClimateRight -- where hot water heats the house and also provides domestic hot water.
"With our design-build team process, everyone on the project was involved in intense collaboration from the outset, enabling us to anticipate and avoid pitfalls and build a house that uniquely reflects the owner's personality and intentions," Mr. Leff said.
The indoor-outdoor connection was achieved with the extensive placement of windows throughout the house and with large covered porches -- some enclosed and others not. The all-glass spa conservatory is directly connected to the house via a spiral staircase and functions as an outdoor space for use year round.
Integrating the house with its surroundings was realized through the careful use of stone veneer coordinated with native boulders moved into strategic locations at the base of exterior walls and elsewhere onsite.
The total project size of the home's conditioned interior is 3,464 square feet, with an additional 3,319 square feet of unconditioned outside porches and covered patios.
The $5.7 million project began with initial design considerations in February 2008 with construction starting in March 2010. The home was finished in March 2012.
"One of the challenges for us was adapting the client's desire for a rustic lodge-style house to a modern lifestyle. Another consideration was building at a remote site subject to frequent storms and extended power outages, knowing that the house would be last in the area to have power restored," Mr. Leff said.
"At the same time, we were charged with the task of designing and building a deep-Green residence that, by definition and because of its large size, was not totally Green."
Mr. Leff said he and his team were able to create a building with a gothic aesthetic, an extensive use of stone, a sense of permanence and an organic attachment to the site while encompassing a feeling of spaciousness and light.
"Underneath the home's exterior majestic beauty is a marvel of modern technology that will allow the homeowner to live through the torrential downpours and subsequent power shortages common in the region with hardly an inconvenience," he added.
The Buck home received a Residential Design + Build National 2012 Design Excellence Award for innovative technology integration for a custom residence.Buck residence19540 King Ridge Rd., CazaderoCost: $5.7 millionConstruction start: March 2010Completion: March 2012Architect: Marilyn StandleyGeneral contractor, project management & structural engineering: Leff Construction Design/BuildGeotechnical engineering: Earth SystemsCivil engineering: North Coast EngineeringLEED & green consultant: AIM AssociatesMechanical engineering: Monterey Energy GroupWaterproofing consultant: Spiral Building SolutionsLandscape design: Elder Creek LandscapesContributing trade contractors:Masonry: Berlin MasonryArchitectural millwork: Nereo WoodworkingSolar PV: Pure Power SolutionsMechanical control systems: Sustainable Design and Product ManagementElectrical & AV: TNT ElectricConservatory: Four Seasons SunroomsSite work: Parmeter General Engineers and ServicesCeramic tile: Ken Hower Custom Tile & MarbleMechanical & sheet metal: Simpson SheetmetalPlumbing: LeDuc and Dexter PlumbingFlooring: Les Garzini FlooringGranite fabrication: Dennett Tile and Stone
