Constructed on land he had owned for years, this tiny cabin is also totally green.
In a family’s pint-size lake retreat in Austin, Texas, ipe siding and decking meet concrete floors and steeland-glass windows. Stained cyprus was used for the ceiling and soffit. The custom barn-style sliding door conceals the family’s collection of giant inner tubes and other boating equipment. Photo by: Kimberly Davis
With plenty of sustainable features, the all-electric home is on track to be a net-zero building, producing as much energy as it uses, and, hopefully, to receive LEED Platinum certification.
The project features passive design strategies to maximize natural daylighting and temperature control. The design process began with extensive site analysis to determine year-round shading and solar heat gain; Greenfab also conducted energy modeling to compare the energy impacts of different facade materials.
The exterior features cedar tongue and groove siding and James Hardie panels. Due in part to smart material choices, the house is 51% more efficient than the standard newly constructed home and 61% more efficient than a typical existing home.
The cantilevered office space above the garage is also underlit with exterior lighting between the driveway and the home. Landscaping is minimal, with native plants that require little maintenance. Water drains through a downspout onto pea gravel.
In the rear, the master bedroom is visible in the cedar volume. The living room cantilevers over the lower patio, providing ample shade.