Guests met the couple's principal designer, Marco DiMaccio of Punchouse Design Group, and toured the home to learn about the innovative products in the stunning kitchen and bathrooms, which were specified to help the project earn the LEED Platinum rating. The highly regarded certification from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program for homes, underscores the significance of this energy-neutral home.
"We are happy to open our home up to local architects and designers. We hope to inspire them with the modern and efficient design and innovative products," Ling said. "We are committed to sharing what we've learned about Green building systems and products so that all of us may live an independent and sustainable lifestyle."
While guests enjoyed an Asian-inspired menu of hors d'oeuvres provided by AN Catering — a nod to the couples' heritage and impressive Asian art collection — they learned more about the two sponsoring brands: Cosentino, a family-owned leading manufacturer of quartz and recycled surfaces, and Kohler, a global leader in kitchen and bath products.
Cosentino's leading brands, Silestone natural quartz and "Eco" by Cosentino recycled surfacing, are featured in Ling and Song's home. In the kitchen, a dramatic waterfall-style countertop in Silestone's "Yukon Blanco" is punctuated with the bold Nuit Bleu in a honed Volcano texture. Made from a host of recycled materials including mirrors and porcelain, "Eco" by Cosentino in White Diamond brightens several bathrooms in the home. Pops of bold color from Silestone's "Life!" Series also pack a punch, with a striking striped wall treatment.
"We are honored to help inspire the A&D community by showing them such a fantastic example of how sustainable design can truly be beautiful with the right products," said Lorenzo Marquez, VP of Marketing for Cosentino North America. "We had the pleasure of working with both Lisa and Marco to fully realize the possibility of our products in such a stunning way."
Kohler served as the sole source of all kitchen and bath plumbing products in the home with a wide range of water-efficient toilets, showerheads, faucets and urinals that use less water but still perform to expectations. The kitchen is distinguished with the highly functional, multi-task, chef-inspired "Stages" stainless steel kitchen sink and the articulating "Karbon" kitchen faucet. Each bathroom showcases a number of elegant offerings including the "sōk" overflowing whirlpool bath for two, steam generator and "Steward" waterless urinal in the master bathroom. Other Kohler additions showcase technology and design, including the company's most advanced toilet – the iconic "Numi" comfort height toilet – on the home's lower level, while the "Highbridge" enameled cast iron bathtub upstairs features 80% recycled material.
"Kohler was proud to be a part of this magnificent home that Lisa Ling and Paul Song have built," said Todd Weber, Communications Director-PR, for Kohler. "It is a true masterpiece for the A&D community to come out and experience, and visually reinforces that you can marry great design with sustainable principles and products. The Kohler products are beautiful and high-quality. Many of them are designed to save water, while others incorporate recycled materials, and the latest technology to make life a little easier and more enjoyable."
In addition to the remarkable kitchen and bath design, the home features a number of innovative solutions facilitating the energy-neutral home, while also making it a welcoming environment to entertain friends and family. All appliances are energy-efficient, an air conditioning unit was eliminated in favor of a passive cooling design, eight passive solar hot water panels heat the radiant-heated floors, pool, and domestic hot water, 64 photovoltaic panels help generate energy and a 5,000-gallon rainwater tank collects runoff to irrigate the home's desert landscape. During reconstruction, the previous home was carefully dismantled and the lumber, nails, windows, doors, plaster and concrete were reused or recycled, so that nothing was sent to the landfill. For more information on PUNCHouse 234 visit www.punchouse234.com
