Building a sustainable net-zero house

Role

Builder
Architect
Engineer
Foreman

Intro

A dream of mine since watching e², a PBS special around sustainable development, has been to build my own sustainable house project. Recently I got the chance and bought a house that needed a lot of work, amazingly in the fantastic town of Brisbane, CA - I think the most perfect location in the Bay Area. Right next to the city and easy drive to the Peninsula. Plus it is just an amazing little town.
I started the project by taking down a few interior walls, but quickly found the substructure was completely rotten and had to rip out more than anticipated. So started my journey into a rebuild into a net-zero sustainable house.

Projects

Below I have documented part of the process.

Goals

As I have navigated the process of permits, plans, engineering, architecture, etc. I had zero knowledge of anything construction before I started this endeavor, but quickly brushed up on the signal in the noise.
I would like to share this experience and help others create sustainable housing. Especially in the Bay Area it can be difficult finding help in this area that is budget friendly, or -especially so- novice friendly. I plan to create local resources to help others bring up the safety, sustainability, and visual appeal of the housing stock.