Holly & Smith Architects, a firm out of Louisiana, have recently finished the so-called Pond House. As the name suggests, this home is located right near a pond on a 15.5 acre (6.27 hectare) plot of land in Louisiana, USA. It’s both luxurious and energy-efficient, so much so that the designers are sure it will be net-zero once they are done testing and tweaking it.
Pond House is a three-story house and measures 1,250 sq ft (116 sq m). It is a rather angular structure made up of two protruding volumes. The cladding of the home is actually limestone-textured stucco and polycarbonate panels. This produces a very interesting effect at night, making the whole house glow like a lantern when all the lights are on.
The ground floor features an outdoor area with a fireplace and outdoor kitchen. The main living area, as well as the kitchen and dining room are located on the first floor while the top floor houses the master bedroom, bathroom and terrace.
The home features a 14-degree sloping roof, which is fitted with a solar power array. The roof was designed to also channel rainwater runoff into the pond below. In addition to this the home is also equipped with a geothermal heat pump, LED lighting, and spray foam insulation. For better ventilation, the home was also fitted with fully operable windows placed strategically throughout the home.
Pond House is not quite a net-zero home yet, but it is very close. In the last ten months since it was built, it only needed to draw 870 kWh over net zero of power from the grid, which totaled about $250 in electricity bills. The architects are confident that net zero status will be achieved soon, as they continue to adjust the home’s lighting and temperature settings.
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