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FHB House is energy-smart, connected, healthy and durable. It's small and sensible. Most of all, it’s the industry's most powerful home for educating designers and builders who aspire to create high-performance houses that are exceptional in their quality, comfort and style.

Join us for California 2018

Follow along as Mela Breen and David Good of Atmosphere Design Build build a net-zero energy, high-performance house that will meet the goals of the California 2020 initiative and comply with the most progressing energy code in the country.

California 2018 Videos

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FHB House Video: A Modern Exterior

The standing-seam metal and the tilt-turn windows contribute to the aesthetic and to the performance of the house
FHB House Video: The Building Envelope

To build this resilient, durable, high-performance house, the team began with a unique foundation and a framing plan optimized for insulation.
FHB House Video: Introducing California 2018

The 2018 Fine Homebuilding House takes on some of the country’s most demanding zero-net-energy codes.

California 2018 Features

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Arts and Crafts Meets Modernism

This high-performance house embraces local materials, modern lines, and the craftsman’s hand.
Minisplit Heat Pumps Efficiently Heat and Cool this House

Three indoor units provide the right mix of comfort and efficiency for this well-insulated but complex floor plan.
Reducing A New Home's Resource Footprint

An organized waste stream and the use of recycled building materials were key to keeping the trash-to-materials ratio low.

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.
Third-Party Blower-Door Test Pays Off

Verifying high-performance house metrics under California's Title 24 earns some rebates from the utility company.