When you think of Louisiana, you might not think of a place where the heat and humidity would make zero-energy living a remote possibility. But that didn't stop Salas O'Brien's team from dreaming big and making it happen for our client.

The Pond House at Ten Oaks Farm is a one-of-a-kind, zero-energy retreat that was the lifelong dream of Michael Holly of Holly & Smith Architects. The 15-acre property in Hammond, Louisiana, showcases and utilizes its surrounding natural resources and includes a three-story structure at the edge of a pond. 

With solar panels supplying power to the house, the building’s design maximizes energy efficiency—at times producing more energy than it consumes. And though the architecture is a wonder of itself, we're especially proud of our work on the geothermal, open-loop water system that created an extremely energy efficient system.

The finished retreat is a unique and rewarding destination, earning it a Gold Award from AIA Baton Rouge.

Want to learn more about our clean energy work?

Salas O'Brien is a leader in the field of clean energy design, and we'd love to share our expertise with you. Here's a quick summary of our approach and partnerships around the country.