Blog

Energy expert Sean Misskelley from Clarum Homes talks about the heating and cooling effect of high performance Gaulhofer windows and SeriousWindows in the Menlo Passive Home Project. Read more about the Menlo Passive project features here: http://bit.ly/iA8V3Y. And some additional photos here: http://bit.ly/p3An2N. Serious Materials energy efficient SeriousWindows feature U-values ranging from 0.14 to 0.18. and Gaulhofer windows' U-values range from U values 0.19 to 0.29 and a superior R value. These windows maximize passive solar heating and cooling - contributing to the passive home's...


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We finished up the construction of our Menlo Passive custom home a few weeks ago and just had our photographer come out to capture the home for us. Check out these beautiful photos – showcasing the exterior, the great room, kitchen, master suite and bathrooms. Menlo Passive proves that green can be gorgeous! Not only does Menlo Passive provide energy efficiency, comfort, health and durability, and up to 90% in energy savings coupled with construction techniques that exceeded the passive house air tightness standards by 65%, but it looks beautiful too. Passive house standards can be integrated...


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Back in April, we wrote about this contemporary high performance custom home we’re building in the Sonoma wine country.   It’s really unbelievable.  Now that the framing is completed, you can see the incredible views that our client is going to enjoy from this beautiful multi-level home that they designed with architect Stuart Welte at Environmental Innovations in Design. The original architectural design included large steel “I” beams. To reduce the carbon footprint of this home, we worked with the engineers to use more sustainable engineered wood products. Clarum’s client also...


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You are invited!  Please join us next week at one of our upcoming passive home events at Menlo Park and San Mateo County’s first passive home – Menlo Passive. We'll have expert passive house consultants to answer your questions about passive homes and show you how Clarum Homes is reinventing green building.     Passive House Consultants & Designers Tour Wednesday, June 1st 5pm – 8pm Menlo Passive Event includes refreshments and a passive house presentation.     Passive Home Event Thursday, June 2nd 12pm – 2pm Menlo Passive Event...


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We’ve all driven down the street and seen the remnants of those unattractive black panels on roof tops of “days gone by” solar hot water heating systems. Many of those older units were intended to heat swimming pools, and the results were mixed. Modern solar hot water heating systems are nothing like that! Today’s solar thermal systems are incredibly efficient, cost effective and more attractive.  Consider that an upfront investment starting at around $6,000 to $7,000 will contribute 80% of your households domestic hot water energy needs and up to 30% of your space heating energy,...


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  Clarum is several months in on the construction of an exquisite custom home in Los Altos Hills. When finished, the home will be approximately 5,800 square feet with five bedrooms over basement living area and a beautiful pool, fountain, and landscaped outdoor living areas. The home is being constructed with a host of amazing custom details and craftsmanship on the stucco, iron, pebble and stone work and will also feature reclaimed clay roof tiles. Looking to build a dream house like this for yourself? Contact us and let us show you how we can help. sean@clarum.com


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Also happening this year is the construction of an incredible custom home in the Sonoma wine country. Designed by Stuart Welte of Environmental Innovations in Design, this contemporary high performance custom home features three story home four bedroom home with elevated pool, gourmet kitchen, wine cellar, sauna, and outdoor entertaining area. The home includes ultra high performance heating and cooling systems, solar power system, and heat recovery ventilation. We’re just finishing up the foundation and will begin framing soon. Check back for progress photos and more information...


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And finally, we just finished transforming a modest 1,185 square foot 1920’s period home into a super energy-efficient passive home inspired contemporary three bedroom home with an open floor plan designed for today’s family. The renovation included adding super insulation, air tight envelope, heat recovery ventilation, solar power, passive solar hot water and a host of crisp and modern but subtle stone and wood finishes and custom built-ins. The home is now one of the nicest homes on the block. Check out the photos on our Renovations page.


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Clarum is currently designing our first passive home in Palo Alto, California. It will be located in the Southgate neighborhood adjacent to Stanford University and Palo Alto High School. We’ll be under construction in the fall. Check back with us for more info. If you are interested in owning this Palo Alto passive home or having a passive home designed or built for you, send us an email. sean@clarum.com


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First Certified Passive Home in San Mateo County & Menlo Park, California We are well under way on our first custom Passive Home in Menlo Park. The house is scheduled to be finished in late May. You may be wondering….what exactly is a passive house? A Passive Home is an extremely comfortable, healthy, economical and sustainable home, designed and constructed to use up to 90% less energy than a traditional home. This is achieved by enhanced insulation, greatly reduced thermal bridging, a virtually air tight building envelop, high performance windows and a heat recovery ventilation...


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