9 Entrada Hermosa

9 Entrada is a contemporary house with an emphasis on creating playful spaces that blur the indoor/outdoor boundary.  The design allows sunlight to play; light and shadow creating beautiful patterns inside and out. The outdoor spaces offer intimate nooks that can be transformed and enjoyed as extensions of the living/entertainment spaces.  Recent advances in building sciences enable us to use existing technologies and materials optimally to transform building performance. The desire for energy efficiency, durability and minimal site impact strongly influenced this home.  Passive House strategies used to reach near zero-energy consumption include a high-performance building envelope, triple-paned exterior doors and windows and highly insulated foundation, wall and roof construction.  Active methods include electronic shading devices, ERV and auxiliary technology like photovoltaic and thermal hot water.  Passive and active combined allow 9 Entrada to achieve site-zero energy standards meaning immediate and considerable savings in terms of energy costs.