Casa Zero

Our first CarbonShack. This house serves as a case study, a comprehensive prototype for a new definition of green building. By integrating principles of high efficiency, low-impact materials, and natural aesthetics, this house provides environmental solutions for the variety of issues that remain unresolved by conventional green design.

How we build and live in our homes impacts the environment, but that conversation is often lost behind the walls. Carbon-reducing building improvements like high efficiency plumbing and heating systems just aren't that sexy (who wants to show off their heat pump air conditioner at a cocktail party?). By filling Casa Zero with bespoke designs inspired by and based on the microscopic natural world, we underscore our interdependence with the natural environment, creating the home as a physical manifestation of the principles of zero carbon living. We designed and built a case study house that expands the definition of "green" to include the entire life cycle of a building but also one that examines the interconnectedness of our choices with the environment. We also designed unique biophilic finishes - tile, light fixtures, fabric and furniture - that elucidate how critically linked we are with our environment. By moving the green house conversation beyond perfect systems, into featuring natural elements and designs in buildings, the goal is to empower homeowners to be environmental stewards and to operate buildings conscientiously.