Example: Trout Farm Complex
One of the keys to this scale of planning and design is the concept of watershed. This site contains part of four internested watersheds. The largest is the Salinas River Watershed. The smallest, The Trout Farm Watershed, is almost totally contained on the project site.The program is a mixed use architectural complex of offices, research, and residential facilities that draw its energy for heating, cooling, lighting, and electrical generation from the site by passive means. 80% of the wood for construction was obtained from the site as well. In addition, there are the requirements of healing the site and watershed due to previous mining, grading, and motorcycle racing damage done from 1910 to 1970. Sporadic wildfires are also a major design factor for this location.
GREEN BUILDING FEATURES INCLUDE:
South facing low-e windows with optimized overhangs & wing walls.
Thermal mass in trombe walls (block and water tanks), concrete floors with exposed aggregate, interior plaster and tile floors.
Insulating shades for controlling daylight & glare.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs for all electric lighting.
Energy-efficient Sun Frost refrigerator.
Use of dead trees milled on site that were killed by the fire for most timber including:
Sargent Cypress & Douglas Fir for structure
Coulter Pine for ceilings
White Alder for cabinets & trim