A Los Angeles house melds energy efficiency with streamlined style 

"There's not a stick of wood in the frame and roof of our home," says architect and homeowner Russell Johnson. His goal was to make the 1,900-square-foot design as energy efficient and spacious-feeling as possible. The result is a sort of freestanding contemporary cave: Most walls are thick, but the rear one is a thin glass membrane that opens elegantly to the garden.

The 12-inch-thick exterior walls are built with a Hybrid Block system which are insulated concrete forms (ICFs) that are made of recycled Styrofoam mixed with cement. The walls have almost three times the insulating power of a wall framed with 2-by-4s; they are also termite- and fireproof and offer excellent sound insulation.  

The living area, dining room, and kitchen are combined in one southwest-facing space. Steel posts and a steel beam make possible a 14- by 30- foot double-glazed window wall that brings afternoon light deep inside the home. Low-emissivity glass in this wall reduces solar gain and blocks ultraviolet rays. In cool months, the interior is warmed by a combination of passive solar energy (stored in the concrete floors and Rastra walls) and a hydronic radiant-heat system. Johnson says the energy bills for his house are lower than those for a neighboring home half the size.