RainShine Home Harvests Water and Light
From Lynn on April 8th, 2010 in Green Remodeling
More and more often, architects are charged with the task of designing eco-friendly new constructions for modern homeowners. Robert M. Cain rose to the challenge with the RainShine Home, a stunning three-bedroom, 3.5-bath house on one-third of an acre loaded with innovative sustainable options.
Located outside Atlanta in Decatur, Georgia, the 2,800-square-foot house’s most notable feature is, of course, the inverted gable “butterfly” roof. Uncovered tongue-and-groove wood decking is supported by steel beams above an expanse of clerestories with built-in light shelves to create a floating effect.
But the unique roof doesn’t just provide exterior beauty and abundant illumination; it’s built for function. As is becoming more popular in green homes, it collects rain for delivery into a basement rain harvest system. As well, the roof is mounted with a home solar power system located to gain the most from southern exposure.
Inside, the result is living and dining areas, guest rooms, and a kitchen flooded with natural light, further enhanced by thermally broken glazing and solar shades throughout. Thick walls are interspersed throughout the rooms to provide the necessary space for components, storage and shelving. Wherever possible, they echo the floating theme by not reaching to the ceiling.
RainShine gets the green thumbs-up from the LEED for Homes Program Pilot Rating System. It earned the top rating, Platinum, and beat the requirements by 11 points. It’s also Energy Star and EarthCraft certified.
