Uncovering the hidden potential inside an existing home asks us to think carefully about how a building has aged, how it performs today, and how we can improve it for decades to come.
If you aren’t familiar with what it means for a home to “perform” here’s a quick breakdown:
Home performance determines whether a home feels comfortable in winter, stable in summer, durable over time, energy efficient, healthy to live in, and resilient during extreme weather events like wildfire. Unlike cosmetic upgrades, home performance improvements often happen in places homeowners never see once construction is complete, but continue to feel and benefit from long after the remodel is complete.
Recently, I’ve been working on a particularly rewarding “high performance home” project that’s reminding me why the work of renovating and restoring existing structures is so important. The home had undergone years of piecemeal changes, and behind the walls we found a mix of construction methods, inconsistent insulation, and a compromised air barrier. None of these issues were immediately visible from the outside, but compounded, they had a significant impact on the comfort and energy performance of the home.
Even the early stages of the process have required patience and problem solving to ensure all existing issues in the home are addressed. As sections of the exterior were opened up, we’ve been able to plan for reconnecting the building’s envelope, improving insulation continuity, and addressing long-standing moisture vulnerabilities. These are the kinds of improvement homeowners rarely see once finishes are in place, but they fundamentally change how a home feels, functions, and lasts.
The project also reflects a broader direction and core focus of my practice: remodeling both for performance and appearance.
Mountain Retrofit
Soon construction will start on a new whole-home retrofit project in the mountains that takes this idea even further. The house sits within a wildfire-prone area, which adds another layer of complexity and responsibility to the design approach.
Along with expanding the home, the scope on this project will include:
- Removing Existing Exterior Cladding
- Repairing and Strengthening the Air Barrier
- Upgrading Continuous Insulation Systems to Improve Resilience, Efficiency and Long-term Durability
- Replacing the existing windows with high performance triple pane glazing
At this early stage, we’ve started documenting the existing conditions with a series of “before” photographs and preliminary 3D models. While construction progress photos are still a few months away, the initial investigations already reveal the importance of thoughtful envelope design in high-performance remodeling work.
One of the most common frustrations homeowners face during their projects is a lack of coordination and lack of leadership through complex situations. Too often projects kick off with attractive renderings and ambitious ideas, without a disciplined framework for managing complexity. This causes decisions to be made reactively instead of strategically. Architecture without process leaves homeowners navigating uncertainty while the project slowly becomes more stressful and expensive than expected.
High-performance remodeling requires a different mindset, careful documentation of existing conditions, detailed envelope analysis, sequencing strategies, coordination, and continuous communication throughout construction. It also requires humility – because older homes inevitably reveal surprises once work begins.
As this mountain retrofit develops, I look forward to sharing more of the process, including the challenges, discoveries, and technical strategies involved in transforming an older home into a more resilient and high-performing building.
I hope you’ll follow along as we share more of the work behind the scenes: the investigative process, envelope upgrades, technical problem-solving, and lessons that emerge along the way.