Lighthouse

Light House

A family sets out to remodel their little old farmhouse in Wedgwood. A single family urban lot with a mini apple orchard to the north and a play yard and wind-torn fig tree to the south is home to a cold, dark house. While building a new home, or large addition in the spacious yard to the south is tempting, if we stay on the smaller footprint, we gain access to light and passive solar gain. The questions we ask and answer around the tiny kitchen table set the stage for a sun-filled house with a passive solar sunroom, natural ventilation scooped up by the vaulted ceiling, a south-facing roof ready for solar, and a sprawling green roof draining to a large rain garden. The project pursued and achieved 5-star Built Green certification and was an early adopter in the Northwest of the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home Certification. 

The Light House project’s budget is not abnormally high. The finishes and the features are thoughtful. The house is built to last. The goals are clear. 

We hear builders all too often say, “I would love to do more of this kind of work. Our homeowners just don’t ask for it.” Lorrin and Tina wanted what so many of us want. They wanted a house that performed well. They wanted a house that would be durable and easy to maintain. They wanted something that pre- served the yard, brought in the light and had a minimal footprint in more ways than one. We simply chose to meet them where they were, and we went there together. 

Features of this project include:

• Salvaged joists reused as interior trim, benches + front door View to large green roof from painting studio

• Passive solar sunroom

• 100% of rainwater managed on site (home unplugged from combined storm-sewer)

• Local, custom steel passive solar awnings for shading Majority of wood is FSC (framing, sheathing, flooring, soffits, decking, and cabinets)

• Liquid-applied, red-list-compliant WRB/air barrier

• Rigid mineral wool exterior insulation

• Super-insulated roof

• Custom reclaimed fir front doors

• Local & low-VOC finishes & fixtures

• Air-to-water CO2 heat pump for space heating and domestic hot water

• LED lighting solutions throughout