Realizing The High-Performance Potential of Single-Family Homes

Article co-written by Marisol Foreman with Corey Squire and Jonathan Feldman for AIA California.

“Sustainable design has historically taken a back seat when it comes to single family residential. Big commercial projects might seem to have bigger impacts, while homes are often evaluated for qualities other than their environmental performance, such as careful detailing, fine material finishes, and quality of craft. In addition, custom homes can be opulent; larger projects with larger budgets for the select few who can afford them, and conventional wisdom has presumed that luxury (often seen as more) and sustainability (often seen as less) are fundamentally incompatible. This perception has led to single family residential projects being all but excluded from the architecture profession’s focus on Design Excellence. The COTE Top Ten awards has celebrated hundreds of high performing schools, libraries, and other commercial buildings while recognizing just 11 single family homes in 27 years. While a net-zero office building or toxin free hospital might seem to be addressing major challenges, are we collectively leaving our largest opportunity for impact on the table by ignoring the world’s ubiquitous building type?

Single-family homes represent 90% of all buildings in the United States and account for more than 60% of total built square footage. 70% of Americans currently live in a single-family home and another 10% aspire to in the future. If we’re going to reduce carbon, as well as address health, equity, and resilience in a warming world, the design of single-family residences is an important place to focus. While the design of homes comes with unique challenges, there are equally unique opportunities that can be leveraged to achieve performance that rivals even the top projects out there.”