5,600-Square-Foot Tah.Mah.Lah. Passive House Restores the Surrounding Environment

Tah.Mah.Lah. House in Portola Valley, California, is a LEED Platinum home designed by HKS Hill Glazier Studio.

Generating more energy than it uses, this gorgeous home has a positive impact on the surrounding environment. Despite its huge 5,600-square-foot physical footprint, the home uses an energy monitoring system that controls LED lighting, motorized shades, and heat recovery ventilators to offset its actual environmental footprint. These features are just the tip of the iceberg - keep reading to discover how this sprawling dwelling is a boon to the nearby ecosystem, rather than its nemesis.

The house, which takes its name from the Native American Ohlone word for “mountain lion,” was mostly constructed with salvaged materials. Its recycled steel roof, limestone fireplaces, kitchen hood, and hand railings were all built using the remains of a nearby 102-year-old granary and remaining elements were built from FSC certified cedar; the wood was collected from old barns in the area. Linda Yates and Paul Holland, the owners, also made sure that no paint or fossil fuels were used during the construction process.

Tah.Mah.Lah uses city water for taps, but it also treats the grey water from showers and blackwater from toilets, which is fed through subsurface irrigation to nourish the native grasses growing on the property. An underground cistern that is able to collect 50,000 gallons of rainwater also supplements this system. Heating is provided by a geothermal system that channels the Earth’s thermal energy to provide underfloor heating throughout the house. Energy needs are met thanks to a 7KW, 120-panel solar array that sits on the roof.

All of this and more is controlled by a Control4 monitoring system that can be set to perform a multitude of energy-saving tasks automatically. The entire house is also equipped with movement sensors that turn off lights in a room when it’s been unoccupied for 10 minutes. Overall, the house proves that even a building with a huge physical footprint can be designed to significantly reduce its impact on the environment.

 

The house, which takes its name from the Native American Ohlone word for “mountain lion,” was mostly constructed with salvaged materials.

 

Its recycled steel roof, limestone fireplaces, kitchen hood, and hand railings were all constructed using the remains of a nearby 102-year-old granary.

 

Remaining elements were built from FSC-certified cedar, and the wood collected from old barns in the area. Linda Yates and Paul Holland, the owners, also made sure that no paint or fossil fuels were used during the construction process. Read more: 5,600-Square-Foot Tah.Mah.Lah. Passive House Restores the Surrounding Environment TahMahLah House by HKS Hill Glazier Studio – Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

 

Tah.Mah.Lah uses city water for taps, but it also treats the graywater from showers, and blackwater from toilets, which is fed through subsurface irrigation to nourish the native grasses growing on the property.

 

Heating is provided by a geothermal system that channels the Earth’s thermal energy to provide underfloor heating throughout the house. Energy needs are met thanks to a 7KW, 120-panel solar array that sits on the roof.