This design built passive solar home achieved LEED Platinum Certification under the USGC’s LEED for Homes rating system.

View an article from Su Casa about this project.

The home uses local, natural, non-toxic materials like pumice-crete, adobe and earthen plasters to create a healthy, comfortable living environment. The home has a 2.8 kw grid tied Photovoltaic array. It also uses 2 solar thermal collectors for hot water and space heating. The home is a modest 1500 sq. ft that was designed and built in collaboration with our clients.

“Palo Santo Designs’ efforts exceeded our expectations. The company’s standard of transparent communication throughout the project gained our trust and respect. And we felt that they treated our home as carefully as they would treat their own.”  by Jack and Cindy Clark, owners of an award winning LEED® Platinum Palo Santo Home.

Palo Santo Designs won the 2011 US Green Built Tour’s, ‘Green Leaf award’ for Exemplary Indoor Environmental Quality for this home. The residence has a HERS (Home Energy Rating) Index of 24 and a HHI ( Home Heating Index) of 2.9 on a scale from 2-10. What do these numbers mean exactly? The home is designed and operates at a superior level of energy efficiency compared to that of a conventionally built home.

LEED for Homes recognizes 8 categories in which points are attained for certification. Among those categories the home received points for:

  • Integrated Project Team
  • Durability Management
  • Site Selection
  • Site Stewardship
  • Basic Landscaping Design
  • Drought Tolerant Plants
  • Management of Roof Run-of
  • Rainwater Harvesting System
  • Very High-Efficiency Plumbing Fixtures and Fittings
  • Efficient Hot water distribution system with improved pipe insulation
  • Solar Thermal Technology for water and space heating
  • Exceptional Energy Performance
  • ENERGY STAR rated
  • Room by Room Load Calc’s
  • Third Party Performance Tested
  • Indoor Contaminant Control during Construction
  • Radon Resistant Construction
  • Material Efficient Framing
  • Environmentally Preferred Products
  • Low/No VOC’s (Non toxic Finishes)
  • HEPA Air Filter ( Best Filters)
  • High Efficiency Lighting ( CFL’s and LED’s)
  • Construction Waste reduction and recycling