Highlights

• Set in the rolling hills of Monterra Ranch in Monterey Bay, Calif., the 6,800-square-foot, 5-bedroom Sunset Magazine Idea House is a beautiful combination of state-of-the-art design and eco-friendly building practices.
• The home features several sustainable products including active photovoltaic and solar heating systems for self-generating energy needs, as well as reclaimed redwood siding and recycled glass tiles.
• An Uponor radiant floor heating system featuring hePEX™ plus tubing, Quik Trak® radiant panels and TruFLOW™ Jr. manifolds helps to provide complete energy-efficient comfort throughout the home.

Background

Combining sophistication with sustainability, while blurring the lines between inside and out, the Sunset Magazine Idea House in Monterey Bay, Calif., is a stunning example of form, fashion and functionality.

Designed by Monterey architecture firm Thomas Bateman Hood, and built by Travis Construction of Seaside, the 6,800-square-foot, 5-bedroom structure is actually three connected “barnlike” buildings that feature a rustic charm on the outside while offering up a modern sophistication on the inside.

Incorporating eco-friendly building materials, systems and designs, Sunset wanted an energy-efficient comfort system that would provide the ultimate indoor climate control all year round while being conscientious of mother Earth.

They decided to incorporate a radiant floor heating system throughout the home, powered by active photovoltaic and solar heating systems for self-generating energy sources.

John Lockwood of Lockwood Mechanical, Inc., installed the radiant system, incorporating Uponor hePEX™ plus tubing either embedded in gypcrete or used in Uponor’s Quik Trak® radiant panels throughout the home. The radiant system also features Uponor’s thermostats as well as TruFLOW™ Jr. manifolds for efficient hydronic system functionality throughout the home.

“I’ve been installing radiant systems for 12 years and I find it to be the best system for incorporating sustainable building practices,” says Lockwood. “The great thing about radiant is, it’s adaptable to various energy-efficient heat sources, such as solar and geothermal, making it very eco-friendly.”