Smart Home Pensacola
Photos by Guy Stevens
Watershed designed this demonstration home in a vernacular coastal style that draws on the rich history of the community.
Broad porches connect the interiors to views of a biological pool, edible landscape, and the Pensacola Bay. The eclectic interior juxtaposes dark wood panelling, doors, and a staircase salvaged from a family home on the property with lighter modern materials such a carbon neutral tile and surfacing.
To counterbalance the deep shade of the wrap around porch, the ceiling of the dining room is peeled back to admit light from dormer windows above.
The owners have a great sense of fun and wanted the house to surprise and delight. To that end, the design gives them each their own hidden hideaways. A mirrored wall in the foyer conceals a hidden door to a quiet room and refuge, and down a hallway, a bookcase swings open to allow access to a hidden office and technology center.
When it comes to energy and environmental impacts though, the team was dead serious. Smart Home Pensacola is constructed with an elevated insulated concrete formwork foundation and SIPS (Structural Insulated Panel) walls and roof with more than twice the insulating value of standard construction, and the strength to withstand 160 mph winds off the bay. A geothermal heat pump HVAC system provides thermal comfort without any exterior compressor exposed to corrosive salt air. The advanced building envelope, LED lighting, and energy and water efficient appliances to cut energy use by >50% compared to a typical home. The home achieves net zero energy through the energy production of a 23,760 watt roof mounted solar array. While the owner’s electric cars still pull from the grid, that is a still a cleaner power source than gasoline.
Smart Home uses a grey water recycling system to greatly reduce potable water use inside the home and a rainwater collection system for irrigation of the edible landscape. The swimming pool utilizes a biological water treatment system to provide clean water without harmful chemicals.
The project is intended to model best practices in resilient and sustainable coastal design, and was planned to be open to the public for tours throughout 2020 before being derailed by COVID. The owners still pursued a more limited amount of tours and public education so that this home could serve as a model for others.
Project type: residential new construction
Location: Pensacola, FL
Key team: Loxley Hawk Environmental Construction, Pensacola Permaculture, Dave Robau, EcoSouth Green Building Services, GreenCalcs for Sustainable Building, LLC, National Energy USA
Certifications: Zero Energy Ready, Energy Star
