2013 – Chameleon Home

Chameleon House rejects a paradigm of technology for technology’s sake. Instead, its creators were guided by the belief that technology is important only to the extent that it significantly enhances a user’s experience. The design avoids unnecessary complexity in favor of a simple approach that uses seamless engineering of systems to prove that sustainable living can be easy and enjoyable. Chameleon House continuously adapts to its surrounding environment and integrates multiple technologies to maximize comfort and flexibility.

• Seasonally transitional exterior siding panels alternate between a light, reflective side and a dark, absorptive side.
• A south-facing solarium expands the floor plan to an outdoor living space.
• Folding glass doors separate the solarium from the kitchen and dining area—not only regulating the space but also serving as a passive solar feature and buffer to the outside environment.
• A partition wall separates the bedroom and main living area—or can be rolled into a closet to create additional space.

• The prominent photovoltaic system is optimized for flat roofs and uses reflectors between the rows of panels to increase total energy production.
• A mixed-mode residential HVAC system marries the automation system and the house HVAC system.
• A radiant heating system with tubes beneath the concrete floor circulates water to heat the interior space from the bottom up.
• A predictive-control home automation system uses weather data to predict hour-by-hour temperatures and adjust accordingly.