The project has a five-foot setback from a wetland ecosystem, creating connectivity to a landscape with plenty of native wildlife and vegetation. Throughout construction, the project team observed Herons (Great Blue & Grey), beavers, Columbian Black-tailed deer, dragonflies, pacific tree frogs, American bullfrogs, and many other creatures in the backyard.

From the street view, the modern and trendy farmhouse-style home stands out from other more traditional houses in the neighborhood. Amidst the isolation that the pandemic has brought about, many of society’s “normal” activities were constrained to their residences and made virtual.  As a result, this project sought to integrate some of those activities into the space itself. The design features a “Zoom Room” for an unbeatable work-from-home setting with a stunning view of the backyard.  Outside of the workday, the residents can enjoy a variety of in-home activities: an entertainment/theater room complete with a wet bar and beverage fridge; a music room with decorative sound attenuation tiles; an exercise room with a sauna and steam shower nearby and is equipped with ventilation systems that filter and pre-heat fresh air into the entire home.

Throughout the early stages of construction, Lochwood-Lozier explored different iterations of building components and systems to achieve significant energy savings to target Built Green 5-Star’s required 30% energy savings or greater (as compared to code).  The combination of a ducted heat pump system, ceiling cassette mini-split heads, in-floor hydronic radiant heating, balanced ventilation system, and humidity sensor exhaust fans allows for the home to remain comfortable and energy efficient.  The intentional placement of the mechanical systems keeps them in the background while bringing the interior finishes and outdoor views at the foreground.  A 5.6 kW solar photovoltaic system was installed at the southeast and southwest sides of the roof to offset some of the energy consumption of these mechanical systems, the EV chargers, and luxurious amenities.

The three-bedroom, two bath house is meant to allow the occupants to age in place. The first floor has a kitchen, main living space, a bedroom and bathroom, and ADA-compliant doorways.

Overall, this home is a comfortable, clean, net positive building, allowing the homeowners to be happy, healthy, and confident in the knowledge that their home is serving their needs, meets a high standard of excellence, and is protecting the environment in the process.

To monitor the energy consumption and usage of the home, the project incorporated a Brilliant Smart Home System that integrates an audio/video intercom, lighting, HVAC controls, and security cameras along with an EcoBee Smart Thermostat.  Innovative features like motorized touch-sensor cabinet doors, Alexa-enabled kitchen faucets, touchscreen wine and coffee dispensers, switchable glass windows in front of the bathtub for privacy, a bidet in the primary bathroom, lights tubes in the primary closet, and an operable skylight also makes this home hard to leave!  Many of these technological elements will also allow for its residents to age in place and ensure this is their forever home. Ultimately, the 2021 Northwest Idea House shows that high-performance and innovation is achievable in a large, luxury home with intentional design, details, and execution.