THE BOULDER HOUSE

Stylistically akin to California’s historic Spanish missions, this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom straw bale residence overlooks the amazing mountain views of eastern San Diego County. “The Boulder Home” was the 2nd straw bale home permitted in Southern California and is incredibly energy efficient due to the straw bale insulation qualities as well as the thermal mass from the boulder.

The original clients felt that the boulder was sacred to the property, and it also shows evidence of Kumeyaay activity in the area. Above the boulder and surrounding moat is a central tower with an oversized fan that draws air up and out in summer and re-circulates warm air in the winter months. The clients had an interesting history – one was a former Navy Seal, and one was a rock climber who enjoyed climbing the boulder to open and close the tower windows.

Straw bale walls are two feet thick and are super-insulated. During the construction process of this home, there were large workshops with paid participants who learned how to put up these walls. In Drew’s words, “It was a great experience bringing strangers together with a common cause to build something unique and teach sustainability practices.” The straw bale walls act as a thermos that holds warm air during the winter and cool air during the summer, which is essential in the desert-like climate of Jamul. Title 24 energy calculations show the house exceeds California standard compliance by 41%, saving the residents a significant amount of money on their energy bill.

Additional features include the Earthen plaster interior walls and earthen floors consisting of all natural materials that do not emit chemicals, unlike more conventional finishes. The roof overhangs and the arched arcade minimize solar heat gain during the summer. Solar panels pre-heat the water, and photovoltaic panels in conjunction with existing inverter and battery storage provide most of the home’s electricity. The home is surrounded by Xeriscape landscaping, which is low water and low maintenance.

Hubbell & Hubbell’s core philosophy is respect, so respecting the land and its history was a key to how the home sits on the land. The residence was ahead of its time when it came to sustainability, and we are proud to be continuing to design homes focusing on green building techniques.

See a beautiful short video of the boulder home here.