Design & Innovation
The Emerald Home utilizes the latest in building science while incorporating traditional energy
efficient building techniques such as thermal mass and solar gain. The emphasis is on maximum
energy efficiency starting with passive systems that utilize the sun’s warmth in the winter and
pervading night time temperatures during the summer. All intended to minimize active heating and
cooling systems. The efficiency of the building envelope reduces the heat load, typically 135,000
BTU’s for the size of the Emerald Home. (4175 heated sq. ft.) The resultant heating requirement
is reduced to 35,000 BTU’s which allowed for less the half the typical geo-thermal wells drilled
for the 5 ton ground source heat pump, which normally would have been 10 tons. The building envelope
energy modeling numbers reflect the use of state of the art windows, skylights, doors, wall systems,
insulation and roofing applications. The exterior wall system was also an educational study in thermal
bypass (air movement from one plane to another within the framing structure) and was utilized to train
Santa Fe City inspectors and plan reviewers. Energy Star rated appliances along with 85% energy efficient
lighting, mostly LEDs which require a mere 6% the energy consumption of conventional incandescent lighting.
The photo voltaic solar electric system produces 9.2 kilowatts of power.