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The Sustainable Design Center

Bio-regionally Appropriate Architecture Collaboration and Planning for a Cleaner, Healthier Planet

Robinson Addition & Rooftop Garden

” Even though we’ve added over a 1000 s.f. to the home, our utility bills have stayed the same. We liked the new Guest bedroom so much we moved into it, and we love the rooftop Garden.” […]

Austin’s 10,000th Green Builder Project

Firm: Benjamin C. Obregon Architect

Project Status: Project completed in 2011

Project description: This project began with a 795 s.f. Studio that included a peeled cedar post and beam structure with straw bale in-fill walls, 10″ of spray foam roof insulation, and a mini split AC system. Once the Studio was finished we started the renovation of the existing 1189 s.f. 1920’s Bungalow.  The foundation and flooring were repaired, a new metal roof and high efficiency water fixtures and rain barrels were added.  Asbestos siding was removed from the outside, the home was re-wired to current codes and spray foam insulation was added.  Hardie siding was then installed over a layer of insulated sheathing using a rainscreen concept. The renovations and improvements combined with an inverter mini-split system a 3 kWh Solar array on the House and a 4kWh Solar Array on the Studio have resulted in a Net-Zero property that accrued a credit of 862 kWh from Earth Day 2012 to Earth Day 2013. An extensive urban vegetable garden, with a greenhouse constructed from reclaimed materials, produces an abundance of food for the owners and friends. This 5-Star rated project was honored to be chosen from a number of qualified applicants as the City’s 10,000th Project Rated by the Green Builder Program in 2012

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A Modern Farmhouse

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Farm Home and Barn, The Pineywoods, TX. Architect on a 1256 s.f. home connected to a barn via a screened dog trot. The home, dog trot and barn are orientated for passive solar heating, cooling and natural ventilation. The home has a full length south facing covered porch and an east facing deck with a shade trellis to provide diffuse morning light. The Barn is located on the North side of the home and projects to the East-which funnels the South East breezes to the home in the summer and shelters the East side of the home from the North winds in the winter. A geothermal heating and cooling system and a rainwater collection system w/ 30,000 gallons of storage capacity provide water and interior comfort. A 5 kw photovoaltiac system provides a large portion of the homes electrical needs. Andersen windows, a demand water heater and a manifold plumbing system are also included. Both buildings are constructed of 2X6 studs. The home walls have 5-1/2” open cell spray foam insulation while the barn walls have 5-1/2” wet blown cellulose insulation. Both have a 26 gauge snap lock metal roof. The home’s roof has 9” open cell spray foam insulation while the barn has 12” blown cellulose.. This project was completed in October 2011 and achieved a 5 star rating on the City of Austin Green Building Rating System.

Southwest Austin Straw Bale

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Home in the Oaks, Austin, TX. Architect for a 1964 s.f 2 story straw bale home with a hybrid framing system. The design takes advantage of the site’s many mature oak trees and natural rock outcroppings (showcasing the 24″ heritage oak at the southwest corner of the home) while orientating the buildings to take advantage of passive solar heating cooling and natural ventilation concepts. The result is a home with a long axis within 15 degrees of a true east-west orientation, with a garage on the southwest side. This takes advantage of prevailing wind patterns (predominate breezes are from the southeast) by using the garage as a wind break to funnel breezes to the home and deck. The deck is shaded by the oaks and has a roofed area for inclement weather.

The 2 story great room was one of the owners original design goals and the central factor in the building layout. The large open space is accentuated by the exposed heavy timber frame which-when combined with the straw bale walls-gives a timeless old world feel and provides natural light while protecting the space from the harsh summer suns of Central Texas. All bedrooms have flow through ventilation, ceiling fans, views of the trees and a timber framed vaulted ceiling. The master bath has high ceilings, natural light, a clawfoot tub and stone walk in shower.

The homes energy efficiency starts with the passive solar orientation and appropriately sized roof overhangs. The straw walls provide an […]

Client Comments

Thought I’d let you know… if you ever think good architecture and good design isn’t worth something, we have 2 couples having a bidding war on the house, which of course, is unheard of in this economy. They have managed to bump each other up $ 35,000.00 so far, which is considerably over the asking price and…you just never know, sometimes you get lucky, so Thank You! […]

Robbins-off the grid home

This SimpleViewer gallery requires Macromedia Flash. Please open this post in your browser or get Macromedia Flash here. This is a WPSimpleViewerGallery var flashvars = {}; flashvars.preloaderColor = “0xffffff”; flashvars.xmlDataPath = “https://sustainabledesigncenter.com/wp-content/photos/Robbins/gallery.xml?for=fc_id_97”; var params = {}; params.bgcolor = “#ffffff”; var attributes = {}; swfobject.embedSWF(“https://sustainabledesigncenter.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-simpleviewer/viewer.swf”, “fc_id_97”, “100%”, “650”, “8”, “https://sustainabledesigncenter.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-simpleviewer/js/swfobject/expressInstall.swf”, flashvars, params, attributes); A 1310 s.f. 1 bdrm 2 bath home off the grid home constructed with an infill straw bale wall system and orientated for passive solar heating, cooling, natural ventilation and views to the Bay beyond. The home has a rainwater collection system, a photovoltaic system with battery storage, low voltage lights and a solar powered water pump. The straw bale walls (R-30) are complimented by 9-1/2” of open cell spray foam roof insulation (R-38) applied to the underside of the roof deck. A standing seam metal roof and Marvin integrity windows complete the thermal envelope. A wrap-around porch helps protect the walls from excess moisture, adds roof area for rainwater collection and provides additional covered living space. A manifold plumbing system, demand water heater and a ductless mini-split HVAC system maximize the homes water and energy efficiency. Low VOC paints and stains and bamboo floors will help with indoor air quality. Owner’s Construction Blog

On The Boards

A 3,000 s.f. main house and an 1,100 s.f. guest house. Buildings and garage are placed between the large beautiful mature oak trees to maximize natural cooling and enhance views. Marshall house […]

Wylie Residence

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Firm: Benjamin C Obregon Architect

Project Status: Project Completed in August 2011

Project Description: A 2,485 s.f. 3 bdrm, 3-1/2 bath home constructed with an infill straw bale wall system and orientated for passive solar heating, cooling and natural ventilation. The natural ventilation is enhanced by the Dog Trot, stacked ventilation and 3rd floor lookout tower that doubles as a thermal chimney. The home features 2 separate mother in law suites opening onto the east facing courtyard, a separate master suite and a second living area w/ balcony above the Dog Trot. Manifold plumbing, Radiant floor heating and a ductless inverter mini split system provide the utility services. In addition a 26 gauge snap lock metal roof over open cell spray foam insulation, applied to the underside of the roof decking provides attic space inside the thermal envelope. This home achieved a 5 star rating on the City of Austin Green Building Rating System.

DeWitt County Homestead

The electric bill for the new 4200 S.F. home from 4-25-11thru 5-25-11-which includes the water pump as well-was $142.00. This breaks down as follows:

Service available charge – $15.00
Delivery charge $35.88
Gen. & Tran. Charge $91.12

I guess the Gen.& Tran. Charge is the REAL electricity. During the winter months, I can’t recall that we had to put the system on. The house was comfortable. The verandas are a great help since the summer sun hardly ever touches the windows

The temps have been in high 90s to 104 F with no rain. So we are in a real heat wave and have been for the last month or so. I don’t know what the electric bill SHOULD be, but we are not complaining about the cost at this point. Most folks with older houses are paying $400/month. […]

Fort Hood Office Building

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Firm: Benjamin C. Obregon Architect

Project Status: Conceptual plans completed in 2009.

Project Description: 120,000 s.f. Office Building designed to LEED Platinum standards with the following goals:

Steel frame with jumbo straw bale exterior walls orientated and designed to promote passive solar heating, cooling and natural ventilation and lighting to the maximum extent possible Building to have a partial living roof with a Heli-pad Rainwater to be harvested from the remainder of the roof via a standing seam metal roof and seamless gutters routed to an internal cistern system built into the foundation High efficiency HVAC system (geo-thermal preferred) to be used through out. Solar panels to be installed on all south facing metal roofs and on stand at living roof. The 4 story central glass atrium with operable doors/windows throughout will serve as a modern day version of the “Dog Run” and create breezes that can be funneled through the rest of the building