Adele Chang and Mark Rohling of Pasadena firm Lim Chang Rohling & Associates designed the house, which is three times more water efficient than a typical house hold. The garden is xeriscaped and irrigated with graywater. The garden is also a source of energy for the residence. "We worked with the UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center to design an experimental ground-source radiant heating and cooling system that captures thermal energy from eight boreholes in the garden," Koenig says. "This type of borehole has the promise of dramatically reducing the cost of geothermal HVAC systems in the future." This video explains the mechanics and "thermal heart" of the home. Search “SHX68E15UC.html” from Five of the World's Most Innovative Sustainable Designs

Search “SHX68E15UC.html”

Adele Chang and Mark Rohling of Pasadena firm Lim Chang Rohling & Associates designed the house, which is three times more water efficient than a typical house hold. The garden is xeriscaped and irrigated with graywater.

The garden is also a source of energy for the residence. "We worked with the UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center to design an experimental ground-source radiant heating and cooling system that captures thermal energy from eight boreholes in the garden," Koenig says. "This type of borehole has the promise of dramatically reducing the cost of geothermal HVAC systems in the future." This video explains the mechanics and "thermal heart" of the home.