Westwind Barn
Project Information
Location: Los Altos Hills, California
Owner: Town of Los Altos Hills
Architect: John Miller Architects
Project Size: 19,519 sq. ft.
Civil Engineer: Rinne & Peterson
The historic Westwind Community Barn renovation and retrofit project endeavored to make the facility functional, economical, safe, and attractive for visitors and staff. Energy use of the upgraded facility is "net-zero" annually. Steps taken to meet these goals included installing solar PV for producing electricity; installing highly efficient HVAC systems and LED lighting; and providing hydronic heating to improve the overall thermal comfort at the office areas. In addition, since hot water represents a substantial portion of the energy use at the facility, a sophisticated solar thermal system provides unremitting hot water for the approximately 70 horses requiring regular bathing using warm water. Furthermore, the retrofit includes major seismic upgrades to ensure the facility exceeded current safety standards while at the same time preserving the architectural heritage of this historical landmark.
Highlights
First LEED Certified, public multi-use barn.
Incorporates an 11.5 kW photovoltaic system designed to replace 100% of the barn’s electrical energy needs.
Elaborate solar thermal system designed to supply an 80% solar fraction for domestic hot water.
Extensive use of daylighting to meet ambient illumination requirements.
Substantial site drainage/water collection modifications.