LEED Historic Restoration

The historic restoration of Moraga's oldest building, "The Moraga Barn", involved an extensive team of designers, engineers and craftspeople. The interior had been gutted and only the barest outline of the exterior remained in place. Fortunately the town archives contained a photo of it soon after it had been built in 1913.

This historic restoration had the unique challenge of also complying with the US Green Building Council's requirements for a LEED Platinum rating, their highest rating level. While rebuilding the exterior to match its original appearance we turned the interior into a state of the art demonstration of modern energy efficiency and style.

The building derives most of its lighting from natural daylight. It is superinsulated and has ultra-high grade windows only available from a manufacturer in Germany. Natural ventilation provides most of the summer cooling needs. The minimal heating and cooling needs are satisfied by a ground source heat pump. Rainwater is captured and stored in an underground cistern, to be used for landscaping. Finally, the roof shingles, made to resemble slate, actually have photo-voltaic cells laminated to them, thus providing the majority of the building's electrical needs.

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Kitchen Remodeling
Bath Remodeling
Sustainable Home Remodeling
Sustainable New Homes
Historic Restorations
Commercial and Medical Offices