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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.

Wide-Plank Flooring

February 15, 2019

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

January 10, 2019

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

December 14, 2018

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

December 13, 2018

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

October 16, 2018

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

September 12, 2018

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

July 11, 2018

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

July 9, 2018

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

July 9, 2018

If we can't dig it out, we've got to break it up somehow.
Supersize Me: The Cat 330

July 9, 2018

Big rocks require big machines.