Casa VAN D

The owners were looking for a better place to live — specifically they wanted a unique house with a smaller environmental footprint.

Since the conceptual process, the home has had a series of sustainable features ranging from relieving the warm and humid weather of the Mexican Caribbean through a high efficiency cooling system that demanded less energy and would reduce monthly bills, to developing a sustainable design that would not compromise comfort.

Located in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, it is a three-story single family home of 502 square meters with a stunning view to open sea. The home includes photovoltaic panels for renewable energy, uses responsibly sourced materials like FSC wood; is landscaped with native species in order to reduce water consumption; a rainwater reclaiming system mainly used for irrigation further aids water savings, and the absence o a closed garage invites the use of alternative transportation such as electric cars and bicycles.

Caring about the environment inside the house is also important. The cooling system is controlled by high-tech devices and the home is fitted with high efficiency filters. The house was painted using low VOC products as well. Other indoor contaminant control strategies like shoes storage on the main entrance and automatic exhaust fans in all bathrooms were also included.

Casa VAN D is proud to be the first LEED home in Mexico.