McElmo Canyon Home
The land parcel that our client purchased for his home is unique in numerous ways. Located in the desert country of Southwest Colorado in the historically and archaeologically significant McElmo Canyon, it encompasses 20 acres of seasonally irrigated ranch land along the banks of McElmo Creek. The richly colored sandstone canyon walls that rise on the other side of the creek are included in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.
Mantell-Hecathorn Builders oriented the house on the property with great care. The goals included:
Maximizing solar exposure for photovoltaic panels and passive solar benefits
Retaining the irrigated acreage for continued agricultural hay production
Avoiding encroachment into the natural riparian zone located along McElmo Creek, which has year around water flow (rare in the desert ecosystem)
Locating and designing the home to stay above a potential floodplain level (more as a precaution due to lack of historical evidence flooding)
Focusing on the beautiful views to the north of the sandstone canyon walls and Sleeping Ute Mountain to the south, while maintaining the privacy and seclusion of the setting
This home won the Department of Energy's Housing Innovation Award in 2016 for its efficiency, comfort, and design making this Net Zero home truly in a league of its own.