Homes

Passive Solar & Alternative Energy Solutions

Habitats projects are site specific, taking solar exposure, prevailing winds, local run-off, vegetation and other micro-climate factors into account. Our designs take advantage of the opportunities the site presents, allowing nearly all of our projects to be passively heated by the sun and cooled through cross and stack ventilation. When combined with appropriately sized and placed thermal mass, the result is a home that does not suffer great temperature fluctuations, thereby avoiding the heating and cooling costs associated with such a luxury. We believe in reducing the energy burden on a home in any way possible and will explore with you the options afforded by your site.

Sustainable Materials

We utilize sustainable and recycled materials whenever possible with the recognition that reducing consumption and re-using materials have an even greater positive impact on the environment than recycling does. Many of our finish surfaces are materials from our local bio-region that have undergone minimal processing in an effort to both reduce the energy cost of the home and provide a tactile connection to our surroundings