Mechanical Affordances
Sketch of pipes and wires all flowing into a centralized room
Modern houses rely upon a complex web of ducting, wires, and pipes. Rather than being an afterthought, these should be considered in the base structure of the building.
Snow Shedding Away From Public Areas
Image of a roof shedding snow onto a car parked in the driveway with menacing icicles hanging over
We get a lot of snow in the Sierra. And that snow collects on the roof. Over time that snow can melt and re-freeze, collecting as solid ice and hanging icicles. That snow and ice will inevitably shed downslope and fall off the roof. A dangerous thing.
It can also be a less-dangerous but equally frustrating thing. As the snow sheds, it collects on the ground and creates massive concentrated piles of wet, heavy snow that can block doors and walkways.
Roofs should be shaped to shed snow toward the least usable outdoor space, and away from entrances, walkways, and patios. This will ensure no one is hurt from falling snow/ice, and that piles of snow can be left until spring to melt without obstructing daily life.
Water Shedding
Image of rain falling on a roof, with a roofline leading away from the doorway, water collecting at edges and flowing to infiltration basins
Rain Screen
Sketch of water intruding and evaporating inside of a rain screen
With weather comes water — rain, ice, snow, and everything in between. This weather will damage and intrude upon the siding. Rain screens provide a space for water to collect and evaporate without causing damage.
- Breathing Vents (wrong name)
- Unobstructed Moisture Paths
Tight Envelope (wrong name?)
Sketch of the envelope, layered on in 3D-ish
Core ideas are about keeping water away from structural members, providing an airtight seal, reducing thermal breaks, and superior insulation properties.
Long ago, we used to attach our cladding directly onto the structural members of the house and call it a day. Water, bugs, allergens, and pollutants were free to bleed into our homes. We call those houses drafty.