The most important underlying principal for successfully creating a safe, comfortable, durable, and resource efficient building is to view it as a system of interdependent elements that, as a whole, becomes more than the sum of its parts.
Doing otherwise can be a recipe for disaster.
At Sustainable Home Solutions we've chosen to implement that strategy in all of our work, rather building, remodeling, consulting, or home performance upgrades. We refer to it as the "Whole-House Systems Approach" or treating the "House as a System." Without this holistic approach systems get out of balance, causing comfort, safety, and resource efficiency to suffer. Treating the house a system means we consider:
Location and Terrain
Local Climate Conditions
Solar Orientation and Solar Gain
Building Design and Components
How the Built Environment Impacts the Occupants
How the Occupants Impact the Built Environment
On the Central Coast of California, where we're located, we're confronted with a variety of microclimates, from beachfront property to south facing mountain slopes. As a result, design elements, environmental systems, or construction methods that apply in Santa Cruz, Monterey, or Carmel, may not work as well in Scotts Valley, Saratoga, or Los Gatos. But the "systems" approach allows us to make necessary adjustments to create sustainable buildings anywhere.
Treating the house as a system is a prerequisite to creating sustainable homes. It is at the core of Green Building and the backbone of an effortlessly comfortable, resource efficient, and durable structure.
Ultimately, our goals in using the whole-house system approach are simple. We want to:
Provide a safe, healthy indoor environment
Increase comfort
Reduce utility costs
Reduce maintenance costs
Create a more sustainable building
Our main path to achieving these goals is by implementing efficiency first. It is the key to reducing our nation's carbon footprint and dependency on fossil fuels, as well as your monthly utility bills
The design, construction and maintenance of safe, comfortable, resource efficient homes requires careful planning and attention to detail. Whether you're project is building a new home, remodeling an existing home, or improving your home's performance, we have a number of solutions at our disposal. We will work with you to prioritize those solutions to insure you get the best return on your investment.