Sustainability & Materials

Quality craftsmanship, without compromise. From energy-efficient insulation, to premium interior finishes, to carefully selected appliances — Picasa homes are made to last. At Picasa, we make sure that your new home is both sustainable and stylish, inside and out. Because we believe that a beautiful house shouldn’t have to sacrifice the environment.

Wall-to-wall efficiency

Typical ADUs feature exterior walls built with 2×4 studs. But we go one step further. Our exterior walls are crafted from 2×6 studs for extra strength, endurance, and room for insulation. The walls, ceiling, and subfloor are all insulated with materials that meet or exceed code standards. The result? Between 50 and 100% more energy efficiency than you could achieve with a 2×4-framed home.

Within our units, we also use an Energy Star Certified dishwasher, refrigerator, and water heater to help you save on energy bills. Meanwhile, the shower, bathroom sink, and toilets are WaterSense Certified, meaning they use 20% less water than other products.

Design that works with the elements

Natural light and fresh air are great at improving your home’s energy efficiency. That’s why each Picasa has large casement windows on both sides, so you can open them up, get a refreshing cross-breeze, and let all that light in. Minimize your energy usage on lighting, air-conditioning, and heating — while feeling more connected to the outdoors.

So what’s in our windows? Made from fiber glass that’s 6 times stronger than vinyl, our Marvin Essential windows are resilient, scratch-resistant, and visually striking. Their Low-E coating cuts down on heat and UV transmitted through the window, without compromising natural light. With a U-value as low as 0.28 and an SHGC of 0.19, they’re one of the most energy-efficient windows out there.

“We have collaborated closely with Picasa to marry our award-winning design expertise with California’s coastal influence to develop a backyard home beautiful.”

Kaylynn Stanton

Thoughtful interior finishes

Before your Picasa is ready for moving in, our team makes sure that everything is top quality at every surface. Interior walls are constructed with extra-smooth Level 4 drywall, just one grade below a museum-quality finish. Then they’re painted with non-toxic, Low-VOC paint for better air quality without heavy paint outdoors.

Floors are made from high-quality laminate flooring, so you get the look of hardwood as well as the benefits of scratch and moisture protection. (Plus, fewer gaps and less movement in your floors over time.) To top it all off, quartz countertops in the kitchen have the look and feel of marble, but with better durability and lower environmental impact. Plus, they’re GreenGuard Certified, which means they help reduce indoor air pollution. Home sweet home.

Appliances you can count on

Each Picasa features electric appliances, not gas, to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and improve the air quality inside your home. The upgraded Fisher & Paykel appliance package comes with an induction stove and a self-cleaning electric oven, which are more energy efficient and safer in your kitchen. Plus, if you upgrade to include a washer and dryer, you’ll get a Blomberg 24-inch model.* Its compact, ventless design won’t blow precious air outside, helping you save significantly on energy costs.

Picasa Product Two also offers a stacked washer and dryer option, which isn’t available in Picasa Studio or Picasa Product One.

One location, many benefits

Each Picasa is built at our factory, where we ensure a high standard of quality control. By prefabricating our units in one location, we have fewer trips to construction sites and limit material waste. That saves gas, cuts emissions, and reduces our carbon footprint significantly compared to conventional site-built ADUs.

We also cut down on construction time in your backyard. While typical ADU construction can take between 9-12 months, we’re only in your backyard for typically 4-6 weeks. That means less debris, dust, and disruption for you and your neighbours.

Making an impact, without making a mess

At Picasa, we’re mindful about the amount of work that goes into each unit. That’s why we use recycled materials and renewable energy to lower our environmental footprint. For instance, Picasa kitchen tiles are crafted with recycled materials, and the kitchen sink comes with 78% recycled materials.

Picasa’s standard appliances are carbon neutral in their production, while our siding’s production process is carefully designed to limit waste. To sum up, we’re doing all that we can to make sure that our footprint is one that we can continue to be proud of.