Auburn Addition and Energy Retrofit

Modern house exterior with large windows, sloped metal roof, and surrounding trees at twilight. Lawn and garden in the foreground.

Built in the late 1970’s the Auburn house is reminiscent of the California Modern homes built in the midcentury by Joseph Eichler. Located in an established neighborhood of mixed housing typologies, the house greets the neighborhood on the north street side and opens to a southern back yard perched above the North Fork of the American River canyon. The owners, who both work from home, asked us to develop a master plan for the property that included additional space for private offices, a guest bedroom, a workshop, and a future pool. Also desired was an extensive remodel of the existing house that update the home and improve energy efficiency.

Modern kitchen with people leaning on an island, light wood cabinets, black countertops, herringbone backsplash, wall clock, and pendant lights.

Energy Retrofit, Remodel and Addition

TYPE: Addition, Whole House Remodel, Energy Retrofit

SIZE: 2542 sf (with new 674 sf addition)

LOCATION: Auburn, California

DATE: 2018

DESIGN: Mela Breen + Jeff Adams (ADB alumnus) | Atmosphere Design Build

CONTRACTOR: Atmosphere Design Build

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Mark Jokerst, SE

MECHANICAL: Balance Point Home Performance

PUBLICATION: Sacramento Magazine Fall 2020

Photography: Kat Alves

Modern living room with large gray sofa, two brown leather armchairs, wooden coffee table, wall-mounted fireplace, large windows, and decorative artwork on the walls.
Modern living room with a bookshelf filled with books, a wall clock, a framed artwork with song lyrics, a white sideboard, a small round rug with toys, and a gray couch with patterned cushions.

The remodel of the existing home aims to elicit the California Modernist moments in the building, by creating smoother transitions between the interior and exterior spaces, updating the kitchen to create better functionality, while using sustainable materials that are expressed in an honest manner.

Modern living space with large windows, dining table with chairs on a rug, bookshelf filled with books and games, pendant lights, and a view of trees outside.
Modern open-concept kitchen and dining area with wooden table, gray chairs, minimalist wood cabinets, pendant lighting, bar stools, and large windows overlooking a garden.
Modern kitchen with stainless steel fridge, wooden cabinets, and pendant lights. A cutting board with bananas, tomatoes, grapes, and limes is on the countertop.
Modern kitchen with light wood cabinets, herringbone tile backsplash, black countertop, and stainless steel stove. A bowl of fruit, olive oil bottle, pepper mill, and kettle are on the counter.
Person ascending wooden stairs towards a room with shelves full of figurines.
Entryway with wooden shelving, hooks holding straw hats, a green cap, a patterned bag, and a yellow jacket. A felt letter board reads 'It's Burrito Friday!' on a wooden bench. Shoes are placed below, and shelves contain various items like magazines and a jar.
Modern interior with wooden cabinet, vase with foliage, framed artwork, and decorative objects.
Room with a wooden bookshelf displaying various figurines and toys, blue cabinet by the window, natural light coming in, and a decorative rug on the wooden floor.

High Performance Highlights

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Assembly

The energy upgrades on this home focus on improving the envelop through meticulous air sealing, new windows and doors, and new insulation.

The roof was insulated from the underside to create an unvented assembly, that allowed the mechanical equipment and ducting to be brought within conditioned attic.

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Climate Control

A failing HVAC system that had equipment mounted on the roof and ducting in a hot, unconditioned attic, was replaced with an energy efficient ducted mini split system.

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Energy

The house is a mixed fuel home with a 6.5 kW photovoltaic system that provides renewable energy for the properties electrical demands.

Modern ranch-style house with large windows, metal roof, and blue door.

The two-story addition to the home is tucked into a narrow buildable slice of the parcel on the eastern end of the home. It optimizes the existing infrastructure and only hints at a bold modern form, from the street side. However, on the private south side, the addition opens dramatically to the inspiring southern canyon view from the second-floor office spaces. A second entrance is provided into the “creative” wing of the building – to allow work to occur with some separation from the activity of family life.

Outdoor scene with a small modern wooden cabin with large windows, two green chairs on the porch, a wooden A-frame structure for climbing, green grass, and various trees and plants surrounding the area.
Modern two-story house with lit windows at dusk, featuring a tree in the foreground and red outdoor chairs on the left, surrounded by natural landscaping.