Former LPA President Dan Heinfeld’s new home is the first residential property developed in Newport Beach, California, under new state legislation, AB 68, intended to jump-start the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs). In a neighborhood of single-family residences, Heinfeld replaced a 1950s-era, pre-energy-code home with a multigenerational residential property that is a sustainable demonstration of AB 68’s intent to aid in solving California’s housing crisis.
The net-zero-energy, multilevel property features a 2,480-square-foot main residence, a 1,200-square-foot ADU and a 520-square-foot library clustered around a courtyard and private outdoor spaces. It is designed to accommodate the current family makeup, but the library can be easily reconfigured into a second ADU, creating a three-unit multifamily complex, giving the owners flexibility and the property resiliency against shifts in the real estate market.
“The design started with conservation measures, as they offer the most long-term value,” Heinfeld says. The sustainable project reduces the need for fossil fuels with an efficient envelope, smart window orientation, a variety of shading strategies, natural ventilation, all-electric MEP systems and a 14.3-kW rooftop photovoltaic system. A 10.4-kW backup battery system gives the project resiliency and the ability to manage energy use. All rooms have operable windows and efficient ceiling fans. The second-floor ADU uses an efficient displacement ventilation system, helping the compound achieve net-zero-energy standards. All planting is native or drought-tolerant; 100 percent of stormwater is treated on site via a bioswale before the water is released into the city’s storm system.
Earlier this year, the property became the first residential project in the history of the American Institute of Architects’ Orange County chapter to earn a Committee on
the Environment (COTE) award.
