GAB Report library
Residential
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A Green Transformation of Eichler House Model MS-134
My first in-depth encounter with Eichler homes was a few years ago on a blazing hot 90°F Saturday afternoon in Palo Alto, California. I participated in a self-guided Eichler Home Tour which benefited Habitat for Humanity. It was such a treat to get a glimpse into what lay within the Eichler homes that modernized the…
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How Abode Communities Builds Green and Affordable
The recently completed Casa Dominguez affordable housing and community facility by Abode Communities is touted by the organization as innovative. Upon a recent site walk and visit, I can say that its innovation lies not only in it’s unique program but also lurks unseen, behind it’s walls, beneath it’s ground, and above it’s roof. The…
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A Success Story: Healthy Homes, Neighborhood Revitalization, and L.A. County’s First Graywater Irrigation System
Is it possible to build multi-family housing without air conditioning in Southern California where the weather averages high 70s F in the daytime for most of the year? With smart building design, it is definitely possible to do so. During their building walk-throughs in the middle of the October heat wave of 2009, the developer’s…
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Can Robotic Manufacturing Help Us Build in a Greener Way?
Walking through many a jobsite, I have always felt at home with the smell of wood dust, the whirring noise of circular saws, and welding sparks flashing in the distance. These features are results of materials being cut and/or fabricated on site, and often times lead to unnecessary waste, whether it is due to un-intention…
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Team California’s Refract House Starts 2,848 Mile Trek to the 2009 Solar Decathlon
It’s the 2009 Solar Decathlon, but the journey began two years ago: 16 design proposals narrowed down to one winning scheme, design development, refinement, hours of hard work, construction, close-in, and finally, today’s auspicious send-off for the Refract House. Team California, a partnership between the California College of the Arts and Santa Clara University, has…
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Bringing Green Home
This LA heat has got me thinking about my house. As a mom, I’m relieved that I can keep the kids cool and happy even though I fully expect to be shocked by the electric bills for blasting our air conditioner this summer. As an architect, however, I am nagged by the fact that I…
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Laundry Facility Reincarnated as the First LEED Certified Residential Building in Northern California
Why would a developer save part of an unreinforced brick building when it has no historical value and would cost more money to save than to demolish it? Because saving one façade would help provide an extra layer of interest to the design of the building, preserve the fabric of existing store fronts, and retain…
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Sripadanna Residence: Synergy in Sustainability Part II
In a previous article, “Sripadanna Residence: Synergy in Sustainability Part I,” we discussed the relationship of synergies generated by a combination of design measures such as: building orientation to take advantage of the sun’s path; predominant shed roof and high ceilings with exposed framing made of reclaimed wood; clerestory windows that bring sunlight and warmth…
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Sripadanna Residence: Synergy in Sustainability
Architects have been practicing principles of sustainable design for a long time even before the term sustainability became popular. With increasing popularity of sustainable design, it is important to understand that sustainable design is more than a collection of credits. The key is to create synergy between building systems and practices that multiply each other’s…
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Sripadanna Residence Receives First LEED for Homes Gold in Silicon Valley
Congratulations to Mr. Hari Sripadanna on receiving LEED for Homes Gold certification for his residence in Saratoga, California. The Sripadanna Residence is the first detached single custom home in Santa Clara County and Silicon Valley to receive LEED-H Gold certification and has set the high standard for the community. I recently had the opportunity to…