In 2010 CLAM had the opportunity to build an affordable home from the ground up. Thanks in part to the generous contributions of volunteer architects and builders, CLAM built the first new-construction Passive House in California. “Passive House” is the name of a specialized, ultra high-energy-efficient homebuilding design pioneered in Germany in the 1970s.
In creating this innovative home, CLAM demonstrated not only that a “deep energy,” LEED-certified building could be affordable, but also, in a foggy coastal climate, the family living in the home benefits from heating and indoor climate control at very low cost. Watch Toni Littlejohn’s Video of CLAM Passive House Construction
2009 – “The Blue House Remodel” – Deep Energy Retrofit sets precedents for energy efficiency and affordability
Remodeling a 100-year old home is never simple. In 2009, CLAM fulfilled its mission of environmental integrity by retrofitting a house using radical environmental efficiency at a cost comparable to standard construction.
CLAM’s energy-efficient retrofit set precedents in several areas: the nearly airtight building lowers heating costs; unique siding materials and procedures improve both the longevity of the building and indoor air quality; and removing an old, inefficient fireplace created more living space while greatly lowering ongoing heating costs for the household.
To learn more about CLAM’s Passive House renovations, read more at CLAM’s Blue House Blog.