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Mela Breen

Mela Breen, LEED AP, is the co-founder and lead designer at Atmosphere Design Build, a small northern California firm focused on handcrafted, high performance buildings.

A Modern California Home Wrapped in Rockwool Insulation for Energy Efficiency and Fire Resistance

The designer and builder of the 2018 Fine Homebuilding House detail why they chose mineral-wool batts and high-density boards for all of their insulation needs.
Wide-Plank Flooring

Floors that will record the story of our house.
Arts and Crafts Meets Modernism

This high-performance house embraces local materials, modern lines, and the craftsman’s hand.
An Outdoor Fireplace Makes a Four-Season Porch

Indoor fireplaces don't work well in superinsulated houses, so these California homeowners decided to meet their nostalgic need for a wood burner by putting it on the covered patio.
Choosing Standing-Seam Metal for the Roof and Walls

Bridger Steel panels offer the flexibility, style, and durability we wanted for our project.
Why Do Most Passive House Projects Use European Windows?

Finding high-performance windows that look good, work well, and fit the budget can be a challenge
On the Way to Net Zero

Renewables are part of the strategy, but conservation comes first
Start With a Steel Deck

Atop the foundation of steel and concrete is a metal pan deck supporting a 4-in. poured-concrete slab.
Footings Are Dug

The big excavator has done its job.
Moving Bedrock: The Egg Drop

If we can't dig it out, we've got to break it up somehow.