The Sunshine 2 is a reversed, higher mass variation of our popular Sunshine plan. The light in the great room and cooling of the entire house has been improved with the addition of our cooling, daylight chimney. With the addition of PV panels on the roof, it would be easy to make this house close to a zero energy home for off of the grid living.

The Sunshine 2 is a reversed, higher mass variation of our popular Sunshine plan. The light in the great room and cooling of the entire house has been improved with the addition of our cooling, daylight chimney. With the addition of PV panels on the roof, it would be easy to make this house close to a zero energy home for off of the grid living.

First Floor

The front porch has been made smaller to allow more light into the north windows and the side porch opens to the east for sunrise viewing. A creative use of curved planters, flower boxes, and a small arched porch will still make the front inviting. With the vaulted ceilings and abundance of south glass, the main living area will feel like a sunroom. The wall between the great room and kitchen does not go up to the ceiling. The family entry is a catch all for not only coats and boots, but mail and keys too. The half bath means you don't have to track mud into the main house. The computer desk nook has window for some light and views but without the glare that comes with direct sun. The many window nooks and flower boxes add character to this simple and economical house.

Daylight Basement Option

With our custom services, let us design a custom basement where you can add sunny bedrooms. One can be designed if your lot slopes to the south.

Garage Option

The optional one-vehicle garage also has a large studio area that is passive solar. In addition, the south end of the garage with its windows can also be a greenhouse for plants in winter. With this area detached from the main house it is safer for PV battery storage and other potentially harmful chemicals. The connecting walkway to the house still provides some protection.

Construction Info

The main walls of the home are concrete block and the exterior is designed to be decorative concrete block or brick. Of course stucco would look nice too! The important part is the inside with the extra mass of the 8" concrete block which can be covered with plaster for smooth walls. The great room, kitchen, and dining area have vaulted scissors trusses with no walls up to the ceiling. The foundation is a combination slab on grade for mass and crawlspace for plumbing.

Modification Ideas

Since these ideas may affect energy performance and structural integrity, they should only be undertaken with professional assistance.

- Remove the wall between the great room & dining
- Change the study to a small bedroom -- turn part of pantry into a closet and add a door to half bath.
- Change the exterior to stucco and add a tile roof for a Southwestern look

Read more about the drawings available for various Sun Plans.

Custom Energy Specs that describe any recommended adaptations for your climate – insulation values, glass type for the various windows, overhang lengths.