Livegreen Blog
Red Bluff Residence built on reclaimed industrial brownfield
by Samantha on Friday, 30th December 2011 in Sustainable Architecture
The Red Bluff Residence sits on a reclaimed brownfield site in Austin, Texas, bordered on one side by an industrial area and on the other by a river. The design appears to melt into the landscape, raising awareness about overshadowing our natural surroundings. The architects behind the project, the Bercy Chen Design Studio, explain, “Red Bluff Residence is about healing the land and ameliorating the scars of the site’s industrial past.”
The sunken design was inspired by the pit house, a traditional Native American home. Located largely below ground, it exploits the earth’s mass to maintain thermal comfort year-round. High performance systems including hydronic heating and cooling, a geothermal heat pump and phase-change thermal heat storage ensure thermal comfort while conserving energy and relying on renewable energy.
Thermal comfort is further guaranteed by hydronic ceiling loops and vertical ground loops which circulate water through copper tubing in order to stabilize the temperature.
A green roof planted with local vegetation improves insulation and minimizes heat loss, in addition to allowing the structure to blend in beautifully to the landscape. A rainwater collection system eases the home’s reliance on potable water.
A diamond electrode high-tech, chlorine-free water purification system that uses active oxygen-based oxidants to disinfection the pool water in a more natural way.
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