This charming 1200 square foot cottage sits in an ancient oak grove on Santa Rita ridge overlooking Templeton and Atascadero. It was built into the existing topography in order to reduce the disturbance of the site and to minimize visual impact. The cottage was intended to serve as a guesthouse after completion of a future main house, but the owners like it so much they are considering expanding it slightly and living in it as their main residence.

The double-framed 2 x 8 stud walls accommodate extra insulation with an extremely high rating of R-38 in walls, floors, and ceiling. A 4-kilowatt photovoltaic system provides electric power while a whole house fan helps to ventilate the home when the hot summer days cool into the evening. High-efficiency windows and doors contribute to this tight envelope of a house that achieved an impressive 40.9% above Title 24 rating.