fortunato's green idea house historical groundbreaking in hermosa beach, ca

green idea house groundbreaking, hermosa beach, ca

today i was part of history!  and as an eco-friendly interior designer in los angeles, it was extra special to attend the groundbreaking for the green idea house in hermosa beach, ca.  it is a cornerstone case study for southern california edison's net zero energy homes program and home to the fortunato family who have had the vision and commitment to make this renovation a reality along with fred koch of koch development, a design build firm and contributor to natural home magazine.  the event's MC was michael divirgilio, former mayor of hermosa beach who introduced presenters like senator jenny oropeza's office, california state assembly ted lieu's office, hermosa beach mayor peter tucker, marcela oliva, b. arch, m.arch, professor of architecture and environmental design for los angeles trade-technical college, kent peterson, past president of american society of heating, refrigeration and air-conditioning engineers (ASHRAE), and dency nelson, passionate environmentalist, founding member of plug in america, former chair of the hermosa beach green building committee, with a terrific resource, friends for a green hermosa beach eamil.

senator jenny oropeza's office awards certificate of appreciation to the fortunatos

why should we care about net-zero?  well, the california energy efficiency strategic plan states that all new residential construction in california will be zero-net energy by 2020 and all new commercial construction in california will be zero-net energy by 2030.  plus, according to past president of ASHRAE, kent peterson, also very involved in the green idea house, net-zero energy buildings mean:

• dramatic reductions in the US carbon footprint, in ways that support healthy economy
• lower operating costs for building owners and tenants, more competitive US businesses
• more sustainable communities, less strain on power grids, delayed needs for new power generation
• infrastructure
• plentiful domestic energy from a clean new source and buildings that generate power back to the grid

house plans displayed in the garage

how can we accomplish this?  well, to help is savings by design, a program to encourage high-performance nonresidential building design and construction. it's sponsored by four of california's largest utilities under the auspices of the public utilities commission and offers building owners and their design team a wide range of services:

• design assistance 
• owner incentives 
• design team incentives
• energy design resources

some of the others at the grounbreaking and involved in the green idea house include southern california edison's mobile energy unit (MEU).  the MEU promotes energy-efficienty solutions and energy management for residential and business customers.  it showcases SCE programs and services through hands-on interactive demonstrations of how SCE customers can save money and, energy and help the environment.  check the road show calendar to find out where and when you can explore the MEU.

socal edison's MEU interactive bus illustrating money saving and energy conserving solutions.

other green idea house partners i discovered at the event include mediterranean heating and air conditioning, inc who manufacturers and will install solar panels with brand new technology, the building doctors, certified home performance contractor and national gypsum's brand new thermalCORE panels which will maintain a comfortable interior environment as indoor temperatures fluctuate during the day.  

solar study via google's sketchup illustrates a 5' overhang with existing orientation acts like an umbrella in the summer, when the sun rises high in the sky, and lets in passive heat during the winter when the sun rides lower.

the green idea house has brought together such an inspiring group of innovative technology, talented and respected individuals, educators and vendors, committed community members and city officials and passionate environmentalists.  it is a living laboratory to share the process of designing and constructing this green home and how everyone can accomplish the same type of sustainability affordably. bravo!!!!