The Bahamas House • Eleuthra, Bahamas
THE BASIC LAYOUT
Consisting of three architectural components (a great room, and two outbuildings), an imaginative design led to this home going completely off the grid.
The central “great room” is constructed as a culvert below a small dirt road at the end of a private island. The house is sited as a tunnel to provide an ocean view and a bay view on either side of the island.
VENTURI EFFECT
The open design also allows cross ventilation. The large great room maintains a constant temperature, with angled flanking walls creating a venturi effect to accelerate breezes through the space. On cool days, the accordion-style doors are closed to maintain the temperature.
SOLAR PANELS
The outlying buildings are roofed with solar photovoltaic panels and solar hot-water panels. The panels create a ventilated double-roof, shading the rooftop and minimizing solar heat gain.
APPLIANCES
All appliances are highly rated EnergyStar efficient. All lights are LED. The draw on the entire system is equal to only one 250 watt light bulb!
