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Energizing architecture: how to build your self-powering dream home

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Is your custom home one that you can live in comfortably and feel good about?

In 2010, we completed construction of the first completely self-powering house in San Francisco. That’s right: 100% energy neutral.

Today, more than a decade later, we wish that all homes would be built this way.

Here’s how we did it, and what you can do to improve your own project in a move toward a net-zero (or better!) future.

1) START WITH SOLAR

An eight-kilowatt solar array, grid-connected and net-metered, produces all power necessary for domestic and transportation purposes without any on-site carbon emissions.  The owner, who had been working in the solar industry for over twenty years at the time of construction, was committed to “getting off the pipe” …as in: a house without a gas meter.

2) ALIGN WITH THE SUN

The self-powering home design includes a structure with ample roof area for the panels and a highly-efficient envelope. The floor plan sees open living spaces at the rear of the house, directly adjacent to the garden.  These rooms employ ample, south-facing glazing for maximum solar gain.

A diagram of the electric system and a photo of two electric cars charging in the garage
3) USE PASSIVE RADIANT HEATING

On mild days, exposed concrete floors with radiant tubes convey passively-collected heat to the north-facing portions of the house via a small recirculating pump.  We specified Marvin wood windows with High-R-Tripane glazing and sprayed, Biobase, soy foam insulation for R-19 walls and an R-40 roof.  This creates a tight enclosure while also accounting for existing, historic “blind walls” and the inherent problems with air and moisture infiltration that they present.

A three-story stairwell topped with operable skylights is a dramatic vertical space and creates a heat stack, providing all cooling necessary for the moderate San Francisco climate.

The mechanical systems are based on the “all electric” concept.  In the active heating mode, a 2/3 ton electric heat pump provides hot water for the floor system.  A second heat pump provides domestic hot water for showers, laundry etc.

A diagram of the self-powering home featuring radiant heat in the floorboards and throughout the house, alongside a photo of the system located in the garage
4) CHOOSE SMART FIXTURES & APPLIANCES

LED fixtures and high-efficiency appliances lower the total electrical load, while a plug-in hybrid charges in off-hours to balance production and consumption cycles with the net metering approach.  

5) RECLAIM WATER

A gray water reclamation system provides irrigation for a shared backyard vegetable garden and for drought-tolerant landscape features – both at the yard and the street.  

A diagram of the water recycling system in this self-powering home, shown alongside a photo of the backyard garden and irrigation

GOING FURTHER

This self-powering home project was cutting edge a decade ago. It represents more than a “green” structure. We work at the level of lifestyle: considering transportation, food production and community in this urban setting in a holistic approach while also serving the specific needs and desires of the homeowner.

Being able to “divorce” the local power company and lower your utility bills is a nice perk, of course.

But being environmentally sustainable is just the beginning; this is now our status quo.

Our latest thoughts on the sustainability may be found in our manifesto about modern architecture.

We are designing the future of buildings that not only maintain, but also give back to the environment.

If this resonates with you, let’s talk: book a 20min consultation to talk about the dreams and aspirations you have for your project.

About this Project

Principal Architect: Ross Levy, Levy Art + Architecture 
Architecture Design Team: Karen Andersen and Michael Ageno, Levy Art + Architecture 
Structural Engineer: Shaun Monyihan, SEMCO
Mechanical Engineer: Bill Dakin, Davis Energy Group

This project was Fine Homebuilding’s “Remodel of the Year” in 2013 and also appeared in the April 2013 print edition of San Francisco magazine in “Nothing Never Looked so Good” by Joanne Furio and Lauren Murrow.

Row House Recharged --- comp of Fine Homebuilding magazine featuring a two-page spread about the self-powering home

About Levy Art + Architecture

Levy Art + Architecture firm is an interdisciplinary studio operating at the intersection of architecture, environmentalism and art. Our work is inspired by a commitment to research and sustainability as a basis for the design process. The knowledge derived from this study is embodied in form, structure and light. It defines spaces that transform our daily experience and influence the way we live in urban and natural environments.

    Contact Us

    Miter House on Kansas Street

    As you approach this home, the façade that appears to be solid is revealed as a series of layers.  A combed stone outer cladding gives way to a smooth plaster layer that, in turn, sits atop a shear layer of windows and taught corner glass.  This is a representation of our clients: private people who become familiar over time. 

    Update: Miter House has been nominated for ArchDaily’s Building of the Year Contest! VOTE now through February 15, 2023 to help get this project to the final round.

    The space of the home is similar. A slow reveal is based on an up-and-over movement across the site, and there’s an idea of two structures, front and back. Entering on the ground level, you ascend two broad steps to a central platform. 

    This “space between” houses the central stair. 

    The stair accesses a reverse plan: entry and gymnasium below, bedrooms between, living spaces atop. It’s capped by a roof deck. Materials define interior spaces.  Maple slats and brass clad walls work together to define the central space, filter and reflect light, an experiential relationship that, like the façade, reveals itself through time.   Each side of the structure has its own character and its own view, the front facing east defined by morning light and downtown views through mitered corner windows. The back faces west, the sunset and Twin Peaks viewed through operable glass walls that expand the floor area for indoor-outdoor functions.   Two houses joined by a central spine and revealing themselves through time.

    We successfully navigated this project through San Francisco city planning and a rigorous design review process.

    “Ross and his team did a fabulous job on both the architecture and design touches for our new home in SF.  Ross listened deeply to our goals for the project, but offered his expert eye and judgment to create something far better than if he’d simply done exactly as asked.  We’re thrilled with the results and frequently see passers by stopping to admire his work.  Unusual for a talented architect, Ross has a deep understanding of and respect for the craft of building—that knowledge was invaluable for many key decisions we faced. When a materials price spike made a highly visible staircase cost-prohibitive, Ross came up with a creative solution we love!  Equally important, he orchestrated that oh so vital “dance” among planning department, neighbors, and contractor. We loved LAA’s vision and aesthetic, but none of it means a thing if you can’t get it built. Ross’s ability to bring all the parties along was critical to the success of the project.   We choose LAA for their architectural and design talent, but we did not realize just how critical all these other skills are to getting what you really want—a home you love.”

    Architect: Ross Levy⁠ (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
    Project Team: Michael Ageno, Patrick Donato⁠, Shirin Monshipouri (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
    Interior Architect / Designer: Frances Weiss⁠ (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
    Contractor: Colm Brennan at Stronghold Construction
    Structural Engineer: Daedalus Engineering
    Photographer: Joe Fletcher

    Sq ft: 3,707
    Completed: 2020
    All-new construction
    Architecture + interior architecture by Levy Art + Architecture

    Zero Energy House

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    Architect: Ross Levy⁠ (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
    Project Team: Karen Andersen (Levy Art + Architecture)⁠
    MEP: Davis Energy Group⁠
    Contractor: n/a
    Structural Engineer: SEMCO
    Photographer: Ken Gutmaker

    This project aims to be the first residence in San Francisco that is completely self-powering and carbon neutral. The architecture has been developed in conjunction with the mechanical systems and landscape design, each influencing the other to arrive at an integrated solution. Working from the historic facade, the design preserves the traditional formal parlors transitioning to an open plan at the central stairwell which defines the distinction between eras. The new floor plates act as passive solar collectors and radiant tubing redistributes collected warmth to the original, North facing portions of the house. Careful consideration has been given to the envelope design in order to reduce the overall space conditioning needs, retrofitting the old and maximizing insulation in the new.

    Nothing Never Looked So Good

    Words by Joanne Furio and Lauren Murrow

    An Edwardian Divorces PG&E

    As the managing director of San Jose–based SunPower corporation, William Kelly unabashedly geeks out about solar panels. But when he set about expanding his family’s 1904 Noe Valley Edwardian, he took things a step further, getting “off the pipe”— eliminating the need for natural gas. Instead, a radiant system of water-filled tubing beneath the floorboards provides heat, and cooking is done on an induction stovetop. San Francisco firm Levy Art and Architecture expanded the home to 2,424 square feet, moving living areas to the south-facing rear of the house to harness the sunlight; a skylight over the glass-encased three-story staircase lets natural light reach from rooftop to basement. Meanwhile, SunPower’s photovoltaic solar panel system channels 7.6 kilowatts of electricity—enough to power the home and the family’s two cars. J.F.

    Originally published in the April 2013 issue of San Francisco.

    Publications:

    ZeroNRG 25
    ZeroNRG Floor Plan
    Schematic of radiant heating system
    Schematic of electric system
    Schematic of water recycling system

    Laidley

    Laidley 01

    Completed in 2002, this new home in San Francisco is conceived as a series of interlocking forms, stepping up the hill and out of the earth to become a transparent glass form bound by the planar structure. This linear language informs the details throughout, appearing in the plan, elevations and custom furniture design. The street level entry opens to a sculpture court where an open, steel and concrete stairway leads to a terrace and the formal front door. All three living levels enjoy panoramic views of the city from the front and the serenity of a Japanese-inspired garden to the rear.

    [Levy Art + Architecture] took on the challenges of a steep site and steep aspirations by homeowners inspired both by having once lived in an R.M. Schindler home and by their longtime friendship with New York set designer Tom John. “First,” said Ross Levy, “we had to distill one vision from these many visions.” The result mixes a view of the city through the glassed front of the house with a look through the glassed back at Japan, with a teahouse and garden perched atop the multi-level yard, and connects indoors to out with doors from the master suite to the garden and exhilarating terraces on each level of the front of the house, making the house feel much bigger than its 2,500 square feet.

    Susan Fornoff in “Design Magicians”

    Publications: • California Home + Design, September 2006, pp. 150-155: “Balancing Act” by Lydia Lee. • San Francisco Chronicle, September 14, 2005, pp. G1,G4: “Design Magicians” by Susan Fornoff. • AIA San Francisco Home Tours 2005.

    In collaboration with Tom John, Interiors. Ken Gutmaker, Photography.

    Ora Way

    Ora 04

    This sixties vintage, split-level in San Francisco was entirely rebuilt inside the original shell, a new house inside the old. The design was an archaeological process, excavating through the existing structure to find the unrealized potential in this volume. The four parallel monolithic walls oriented from front to back are contrasted with glass and wood infill emphasizing the view. Minimalist details and the expression of structure create a synthesis between existing and new materials which complement interior spaces configured to maximize access to the panoramic skyline from multiple levels.

    Publications:
    • 7×7 Magazine, April 2008, pp. 98-103: “Living on the Edge” by Leilani Labong.

    Cole Valley

    Cole 06

    In the heart of Cole Valley, this property was the perfect location for a growing family.  The house itself was small and poorly organized.  We removed a small shed from the rear and had a blank palette for new architecture.  The two story addition is set two risers down from the main level.  This allows it to open directly to the garden and to enjoy  a tall ceiling.  The element that binds the project together is a central lightwell above the kitchen bar.  The kitchen relates to the living room and yard across the open bar. The lightwell also allows an overlook into the main spaces from the children’s bedrooms above and includes an internal window into the master bath.  The rear façade is a collage of glass and wood, activated by a pitched roof that vaults one of the upper bedrooms.  In contrast the front is an historic renovation, no sign of the contemporary space or addition beyond.

    Randall

    Randall 06

    Working with the historic envelope, we created a three dimensional series of spaces to unify the experience of this vertical home in San Francisco. An open stairwell brings light down four stories from the skylit penthouse and provides a heat-stack for natural ventilation and circulation. This sculptural stair travels through the void, arriving first at a bedroom level and then at the main living spaces, continuing to the roof where a large deck enjoys downtown views. A bridge joins the kitchen and dining area to the backyard creating continuity between the interior and exterior living spaces. The terraced garden acts as an outdoor room connecting the master suite to the rear yard.

    • AIA San Francisco Home Tours 2009.

    Contemporary Wine Country Architecture: Healdsburg Vineyard

    HBVine01

    As a beautiful example of wine country architecture, this project is set on a 200 acre vineyard in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California.  This house is designed as an intervention to an old family home destroyed by fire.  The only salvageable elements were the old gable roof and river rock hearth. Complementing the existing gable, a series of sloped and flat roof planes provide for clerestory windows that bring abundant natural light to the space.  A flat, wooden ceiling over the living area continues to the exterior seamlessly connecting the surrounding porch.  This long eave emphasizes the view across the vineyard to the coastal range and provides an ideal location for an integrated solar array. Bands of salvaged cedar at the base of the house support climbing wisteria and bind the house to the landscape as it rises from the rows of vines.

    Ken Gutmaker, Photography

    Queen of Mirabel

    Unique Renovation of a Historic Structure including an Innovative Façade

    An innovative garage door made from a bay window maintains the original Queen Anne facade on Mirabel Street, San Francisco
    This custom garage door design is fit for a Queen (Anne)!

    As a Queen Anne Victorian, we were able to preserve and restore the decorative façade of this residence, while completely reconfiguring the interior to honor our client’s contemporary lifestyle.

    The hinged “bay window” garage door is a primary component in this innovative renovation. Given the parameters of preserving the historic character, we chose motorized swinging doors which were specially constructed to match the original bay window.

    In contrast to the exterior appearance which we maintained as close to the original as possible, the inside represents a complete re-design. We combined the upper two units into one residence, creating an opportunity to open the space, and allowing light to fill the house from front to back. An expansive North-facing window and door system frames the view of downtown and connects the living spaces to a large deck. The skylit stair winds through the house — beginning as a grounded feature of the entry, and then becoming more transparent as the wood and steel structure are exposed and illuminated.

    Publications:
    • Fine Homebuilding, July 2011 “A Garage Fit for a Queen” by Maureen Friedman

    Do you dig this custom garage door? Need an innovative solution for an upcoming residential or commercial project? We’d be happy to guide you through this design process and work with you to create a functional, and unique building that fits your vision and needs.

    Schedule your complimentary 20min consultation so we can learn about your project, no matter what phase of the planning process you’re in.

    Let’s Talk

    About Levy Art + Architecture

    Ross Levy, licensed architect and principal at Levy Art + Architecture, has been creating innovative architectural designs that support modern lifestyles for nearly 30 years. With his background as a building contractor, he brings a craftsman’s perspective and attention to detail to every unique project. Ross completed graduate work at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, is a founding member of The Viet Nam Green Building Council, and has served for many years on the AIA Public Policy committee.

    Levy Art + Architecture’s work has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects and featured in publications such as Architectural Digest, SPACES, Dwell, Dezeen, and Fine Homebuilding.