The building faces the Pacific Ocean to take advantage of coastal breezes, energy-providing solar gain, natural light and views.

Conceived as a passive solar house, the building has photovoltaic panels and solar thermal panels for domestic hot water on the roof. The photovoltaic panels generate power for the house during the day.

The amount of energy produced exceeds the owner’s need and the remainder contributes to the local power grid. The power meter runs counter-clockwise while the sun is up.

Ground-level concrete floors act as heat sinks, pulling in the Sun’s energy during the day and releasing it at night. They also provide radiant heating, making use of water heated on the roof.

Project Details

* Project Name: Malibu 5
* Client: Georgia Goldfarb and Walter Zelman
* Project Type: Architectural design
* Principal Designer: Stephen H. Kanner,
* Design Team: Stephen H. Kanner, Damian Le Mons, David Ellien and John Mebasser
* Year of commencement of project: 2003
* Year of completion of project: 2006
* Location of site: California, USA
* Built up Area: 3300 square feet
* Cost of Construction: USD 1,300,000