The Greenest home in Bonny Doon - CZU Rebuild September 2021
““We believe this can be the new normal for building and rebuilding in California.” ”
Our clients had just replaced all the windows in their newly purchased home in the Santa Cruz Mountains before the CZU fire destroyed it in 2020. When they looked to rebuild, they wanted more than efficient windows – they wanted a super-efficient home that requires less energy, offers greater comfort, is kind to the environment, and could offer them peace of mind. They wanted a home that would suit their desire to get close to Passive House performance while getting away from polyurethane foam insulation.
An ordinary site-built home may take three months to frame, wrap, and insulate. A performance home that requires air sealing, continuous insulation, and a weather barrier to protect the home’s integrity may take even longer. The B.PUBLIC Prefab off-site panelized structure allow the building envelope (shell) for new homes to be installed in a matter of days instead of months.
The first email through design, permitting, and final installation took six months. The install process took a total of 3 days.
California’s housing crisis is in dire need for solutions to build faster and greener. Its newly mandated focus on solar and renewables is only a portion of what we need to fix. “When you consider that 40 percent of all pollution is caused by the construction and running of buildings, it is urgent that we change the way we build,” says chief operating officer Charlotte Lagarde. “At B.PUBLIC we tackle both sources of carbon emission by prioritizing deep energy conservation in our designs and the materials we use. The good news is that there is a carbon smart way to build craftsman comfort, low-energy, and resilient homes. It’s just a mind shift ”
““From the tragedy of so many homes lost to fire - we believe that if you are going to rebuild there needs to be heart and the environment central to the project. We are honored to help one home at a time” ”
B.Public’s Passive House-quality prefabricated wall, roof, and floor panels are designed to speed construction, ensure quality craftsmanship, and reduce a building’s energy consumption by up to 90% over its lifetime, while utilizing recycled and petroleum-free materials.
““While building a home was never part of our plan or dream and we entered the process reluctantly, working with B.Public has become another step in our journey to living more sustainably through building a resilient and efficient home. We are excited to share our experience with our fellow fire families, and we hope BPublic’s expertise can support many others in coming home soon,””
Word is spreading through the neighborhood network about this sustainable alternative - building beyond code and with great architectural style. We are working with families in Boulder Creek and Bonny Doon who are designing and rebuilding with B.PUBLIC Prefab with the goal to move back home quickly.
