This modest new home on the site of Simi Valley's First Presbyterian Church-which was built in 1903 and later relocated to the Strathern Historical Park and Museum-echoes the simple design of the parsonage it replaced, part of Simi Valley's earliest subdivision. But many of this house's features use 21st century technology to save energy, go easy on the earth, and provide easy care and low maintenance costs.
“Living here feels just like living in a regular house,” says the owner, who shares the space with her two sons. “Except that our electric bill this month was just $1.90—and sometimes it’s zero.”
That’s partly due to its energy-efficient construction, which uses Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) in the walls, floor, and ceiling. SIPs sandwich a thick layer of foam between two layers of oriented strand board (OSB), providing better insulation and quicker assembly than conventional methods.
Super insulation. Structural insulated panel systems provide better overall air tightness and practical thermal performance than conventionally framed walls. They offer a dense, uniform, and continuous air barrier with few thermal bridges, and no opportunity for internal convection. SIPS made from expanded polystyrene foam board have an R-value of about 4 per inch of thickness. This house uses 6-inch panels in the walls (for R-24 compared with the standard R-13), 8-inch panels in the roof (R-32 vs. standard R-19), and 10-inch panels in the floor.
Builder Lance Charles says it took some doing to convince the city’s Building Department that the material could be trusted, but it should be easier for the next guy.
Top: Basic design, and wood for porch railings, were retained from the 100-year-old parsonage the home replaced.
Above: Uni-Solar PV panels adhere directly to the southward-
sloping standing-seam steel roof of the detached garage.
Solar PV. Most of the electricity comes from a 1.5 kW solar photovoltaic array on the south-sloping roof of the detached garage. Rather than the familiar bluish glass-covered rectangular PV panels, this system uses flexible Uni-Solar panels designed to adhere directly to the standing-seam steel roof, fitting neatly in the 16-inch-wide spaces between seams.
“I call this house the hybrid you can live in,” says Charles, whose dedication to energy-efficient building grew out of his background in art and construction, plus his basic values.
“I was always the kid in the family who said we shouldn’t eat bacon, shouldn’t pollute. Grace around the table always ended with ‘Keep us mindful of the needs of others,’ and that stuck with me. So when I started building houses, I naturally wanted their impact on the environment to be low. These types of houses don’t burden the rest of society.”
A tankless water heater helps keep gas costs low and reduces wasted water. ENERGY STAR appliances further reduce the home’s thirst for water and energy. The house has separate plumbing for future collection of graywater from sinks and bathtubs to be reused to flush the toilets or water the rose bushes and other landscaping. The porch floorboards are made from recycled-content plastic lumber and the railings from used wood salvaged from the church formerly on the site.
The homeowner is proud of the fact that her house is "green." She believes her gas, electric, and water bills are significantly lower—especially in the summertime when she runs the air conditioner. She thinks everyone should have a solar system installed and the government should provide more subsidies to make it possible.
"More people would do it if they could see the cost savings over time."
Above: Porch floorboards made from recycled-content plastic lumber.
Above: Structural insulated panels—used for the walls, floor and roof—offer better insulation and quicker assembly than conventional methods.
Left: A tankless water heater helps minimize use (and cost) of gas.
Right: Used wood porch railings add character and a touch of history as they reduce waste and cost.
