Too often, the systems in our houses are both physically and intellectually inaccessible. In the SNAP House, HVAC components are integrated into the overall structure, and act as an experiential threshold between public and private spaces. They are located in a central, structural chase that supports the clerestory and gives the systems a functional presence within the interior. Each individual component is contained within a single chase unit, detachable along the lines of the larger SNAP connections. This strategy complements the modular nature of the house, while reducing energy costs by minimizing duct lengths and locating the components within the conditioned space.

We have overlapped multiple means of thermal and moisture control to make our system totally dependable - when the sun is not shining, or even in the unlikely event of one element's malfunction. Our choice of tools for energy efficiency reflects a balance between the house's energy needs during the competition and in its future life as a residence in Austin, Texas.