This home, ZEROHOUZ, recently received a design award from AIA Los Angeles, for its’ “quiet radicalism” in Climate Positive design. Catch architect and homeowner Avideh Haghighi speak about it at the upcoming Net Zero Conference in Los Angeles, on Oct. 1st at 11:45 am, titled “Breaking Through Barriers: Cost-Effective Strategies for Electrifying Existing Homes & Restaurants”. To read Part 1 of this series on ZEROHOUZ, click here.
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House Front before and after
I stood in the front yard of my 102-year-old California bungalow, holding a sign that read: We Made the Switch. This little sign didn’t just announce a milestone—it represented years of visioning and planning. It was proof that an old, drafty home could be reborn as something beautiful, modern, and fully sustainable.
Getting to this point was anything but easy. What made it possible wasn’t just persistence, but a deep belief in the mission of ZEROHOUZ: to transform ordinary homes into extraordinary spaces that are beautiful, comfortable, and deeply sustainable. I set out to prove that sustainability doesn’t have to mean sacrifice—on aesthetics, comfort, or budget.
At just 587 square feet, this house was modest in size but ambitious in scope. The challenge was twofold: maximize every square inch while also meeting the highest standards of energy efficiency and electrification.
Designing for Small Spaces
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Kitchen before and after
Space-saving design was critical. Every inch needed to work harder. In the bathroom, I tucked a combo washer/dryer under the counter. These ventless machines, common in Europe, are compact, efficient, and plug into a regular 120-volt outlet. In the kitchen, I chose smaller built-in appliances that kept the space feeling open and modern without compromising functionality.
My favorite design hack, though, is a hidden supply closet—a small but essential feature that makes compact living feel practical instead of cramped.
The 100-Amp “Impossible”
The true test of this project wasn’t space, though—it was power. Most homes going all-electric require upgrading the electrical panel (and sometimes service) to 200 amps, a step that adds thousands of dollars and mountains of red tape. My house had only a 100 amp panel, and every electrician I spoke to was confident it couldn’t be done.
Still, I had a hunch they were wrong. With Redwood Energy’s Watt Diet calculator, I carefully mapped the electrical draw of each appliance. The total? Just under 70 amps. Suddenly, the impossible was possible—and I’d saved $6,000 by avoiding a panel upgrade.
It was a breakthrough moment, one that revealed how outdated assumptions—not real limitations—are often the biggest barriers to electrification.
Smart Choices, Big Savings
From there, the strategy was all about precision.
- Air sealing and insulation cut heating and cooling needs dramatically. We discovered the house had 19 air changes per hour. (Air Changes per Hour (ACH) is a measure of how many times the entire volume of air inside the home is replaced with outdoor air in one hour, under specific conditions. An efficient new home average 5-6 ACH). By sealing leaks and insulating walls with blown-in cellulose, we maximized the home’s comfort and efficiency.
- An efficient packaged heat pump unit, mounted on the wall, proved more than enough to heat and cool the space. It plugs into a standard 120v outlet, was installed by a handyman, and runs whisper-quiet with a sleek look. This saved over $15,000 compared to a ducted central HVAC, and $6,000 compared to a mini-split.
- Appliance tweaks made a difference too. The washer/dryer combo reduced both load and wiring costs, while skipping a built-in microwave eliminated the need for an extra circuit. A simple countertop microwave does the job just fine.
Every choice mattered. Each one chipped away at waste, cost, and complexity, until the home was lean, efficient, and entirely electric.
The Unseen Hurdles
Of course, the toughest challenges weren’t always technical, they were systemic.
Permitting delays with the city added nearly a year. Adding a battery meant my solar PV plans needed fire marshal approval before even reaching the city, dragging things out further. Finding contractors was equally frustrating; few had ever installed a heat pump water heater, and almost none understood how to do proper electrical load calculations for electrification.
Even sourcing products felt like detective work. Appliance showrooms rarely displayed induction cooktops, let alone compact ones. I made multiple trips to confirm that, yes, a Thanksgiving turkey can fit in a 24-inch oven (it can!). Locating a retrofit-ready 120-volt heat pump water heater proved nearly impossible, despite knowing that Rheem manufactured one.
These roadblocks underscored just how far our industry still has to go.
A Century-Old Home, Reimagined
When I finally stepped back and looked at the finished house, I felt a quiet pride. This wasn’t just a retrofit – it was a resurrection. A 102-year-old bungalow that once leaked air and burned fossil fuels now stood as a model for the future: compact, comfortable, resilient, and zero emissions.
This project taught me that the hardest part of electrification isn’t the technology—it’s unlearning what we’ve been told is “impossible.” The solutions already exist. What we need now is creativity, persistence, training, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
ZEROHOUZ is just getting started. This little bungalow was the first, but it won’t be the last. Because every home, no matter how old or ordinary, has the potential to be reborn into something extraordinary.
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What I installed:
HVAC: AIO Wall Mounted Unit (formerly Ephoca HPAC 2.0)
Water Heater: BradfordWhite Aerotherm 50 ga 30amp heat pump water heater
Combo Washer/Dryer: LG 2.3 cu ft All in One Washer Dryer
Dishwasher: Bosch 800 Series 18”
Oven: Miele Pureline 24”
Cooktop: Bosch 800 Series 24”
Add ZEROHOUZ website and Instagram links:
Instagram: @zero.houz
Website: www.zerohouz.com
Airbnb this house: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/mHS68x6C
Related Links:
Pearl Certification: https://pearlcertification.com/the-certification-system
Redwood Energy’s Watt Diet Calculator: https://www.redwoodenergy.net/watt-diet-calculatorThe Switch is On: https://www.switchison.org/
Posted 9/12/25
About the Author
Avideh Haghighi is an award winning green Architect with a passion for transforming the built environment towards a net positive impact. She has 14 years of experience and a diverse portfolio of work, including May Lee State Office Complex, the largest all-electric Net Zero Carbon facility in the nation. Recently she has turned her attention to the single family housing market, recognizing the need for resources and innovation to decarbonize the existing housing stock. She is applying her knowledge from designing and constructing high performance commercial buildings to transform ordinary homes into extraordinary spaces that are beautiful, healthy, and sustainable. ZEROHOUZ aspires to challenge the status quo of American housing, one house at a time. You can follow ZEROHOUZ on Instagram at @zero.houz.
