"Showcasing conservation and passive solar"

  • The earth tempered La Mesa Demonstration Project, with greenhouse passive solar collector

  • Approach from Street via a ribbonal retaining wall, but only landscape seen from the far side

  • La Mesa Phase One Project as a Part of a Phase Two Proposal, with various passive collectors

La Mesa Project: An Early Case Study

The initial phase of this project by the Community Environmental Council (1973) on Miramonte Drive, Santa Barbara, show-cased passive solar systems, gray water reclamation, and a composting toilet, and was significant for the community and the State. This project was the first "green" project in Santa Barbara, and used passive glazing arrays, including a green house element, to heat water columns and the concrete slab. Irv Thomas, consultant.