Category: high performance homes

At Clarum Homes, we get a lot of questions from clients about custom home building. And it makes sense – building a custom home is a nuanced process that not only requires a phenomenal team, but also a fair amount of planning to get just right. When clients engage us for a custom home building project, we try to impart as much information as we can from the outset. It’s important to our team that you have all the knowledge and resources you need to get your dream home completed on time, within budget, and exactly the way you envisioned it. That’s why we’re sharing some insight on custom...


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With the 4th of July weekend officially behind us, it's safe to say that summer is well underway - and it’s getting hot out there. While we’re grateful for the sunshine in Palo Alto, we’re also grateful to have cool, comfortable homes to retreat to when the heat gets intense. It's no wonder power bills start to climb around this time of year, as air conditioners kick on to combat the climbing temperatures. Unfortunately, most conventionally built homes are incredibly inefficient in how they manage temperature. As much as 40% of a home’s cooling and heating loss is due to air leakage...


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Are you looking to own a home? If yes, you may be wondering whether to build a new home or buy a new used house. Based on the fact that the prices of buying a new home can be quite high, your first option might be to purchase a pre-existing residence. However, you might be surprised by how much you might save if you decide to build your own. Indeed, one of the best things about building a home is that your wants and needs are completely fulfilled. Here are several things to keep in mind that are perks in building new versus buying an existing home. It will feature cutting-edge design Whether...


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2020 has been a difficult year for everyone - from a global pandemic, to economic shutdowns, to record-breaking wildfires up and down the West Coast. Suffice it to say that this is a year we'll be glad to put behind us. But with Thanksgiving coming up (and particularly when we've been spending more time than ever indoors), there are still plenty of things to be thankful for as you enjoy your modern home this holiday season. Seven modern home elements to be thankful for this season Rooms with natural light Since the sun makes briefer appearances in winter, it’s a good idea to capitalize...


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Not surprisingly, one of the primary concerns of the modern homeowner is the health and safety of their family. And it makes sense: even before shelter-in-place restrictions, the average American already spent up to 90% of their time indoors. Our current era has introduced new motivations for a healthful approach, and has brought some key wellness-related trends to the forefront in new custom homes. Fortunately, at Clarum, this was a priority for us long before COVID-19. One of our values is to create healthy environments: we’re committed to going beyond aesthetics when it comes...


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Summer is officially here – and for those of us in California, it’s a time when we want to enjoy the great outdoors more than ever. Spending time outside is the perfect way to get fresh air, exercise, and improve mental health. However, with physical distancing measures still in place, many are looking to their own backyards for comfort, distraction and a connection to nature without straying too far from home. Even before the days of COVID-19, outdoor environments have always been a top priority for homeowners. Research from the National Association of Home Builders and Better...


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Whether you find yourself with an abundance of time on your hands or busily working remotely, we have all been spending a lot of time at home lately. As you work on planning your new home build, it’s a good time to consider how to add some of the excitement and comfort usually found when you go out. A great benefit to working with a custom home builder is the flexibility to design a home that fits your lifestyle. High Performance Homes are built with cutting edge sustainability features which offer unmatched cost savings and comfort. They also offer the opportunity to combine technology with...


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For many people the idea of sustainability has been a concept without a tangible connection but that is quickly changing. Now that we are all spending so much time indoors, it’s clearer than ever how important it is to be intentional about our space. Having a home office might have been a nice-to-have before but, with remote work becoming more common, a home that supports the new ways we live and work will be essential.   From how it’s laid out to where you get your power, building a sustainable home is about building a home that takes care of you and your family. Passive and Passive...


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Now that Zero Net Energy (ZNE) is the default for all new residential homes, we’re going to see a tremendous change in the way houses are built in California. While ZNE is a positive development for the environment and the reliability of our electric grid, not all builders will have the experience to craft homes that will excel 2020 Solar Mandate. To understand this a bit better, let’s look at two families that represent clients we see at Clarum: the Parkers and the Joneses. Matt and Sarah Parker – On the go Matt Parker is a busy guy. As a lead partner in his private equity...


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Taking Sustainability Beyond Solar Since the California Solar Mandate took effect in January, sustainable building practices are on everyone’s mind. We all want to do what’s best for the environment and integrating solar energy is a great way to do that; one we’ve been endorsing for years. The mandate is a positive first step toward more sustainable practices. Over the years we’ve found, when it comes to home construction, there’s so much more to sustainability than solar. We’re seeing the cost of energy rise in a rapid way, and it’s not just in dollars. It’s important...


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