In 2003, when their old house began to feel cramped, Peter Skillman and his wife, Laurel, decided it was time to build their dream home. With the help of architect Rod Freebairn-Smith, the couple designed a beautiful house that is a practical demonstration of sustainability. Last spring, it was recognized with the Green Building Award for a residential property from Sustainable San Mateo County.
Built into a hillside, the San Carlos house uses solar panels for energy and sod on the roof for insulation. Peter and Laurel designed furniture out of sustainably harvested bamboo and used reclaimed materials for the walls. The Skillmans took on a huge amount of the interior construction work themselves. Peter worked 30 hours a week on the house for two and a half years in addition to his job as a vice president of design at Palm, Inc. "It was a very intense period of my life," he said.
Skillman attributes his ability to complete this massive project to his experience as a graduate student teaching assistant in the Stanford Product Realization Lab, where professor David Beach provided mentorship. The family is enjoying their new home, though it does provide some unique chores for their two kids, who have to weed the roof.
BRIAN ANDREW is Class of '09.
