Highly insulated, air tight (but vapor permeable) building envelope. Constant intake of fresh air to bedrooms living rooms, filtered and passed through a heat exchanger to heat or cool it with air exhausted from kitchen and bathrooms.
They generally cost about ~25% more than a standard code-built house (unless you want a lot of windows), but cost much less to heat and cool. They're also more comfortable and have less pollen, dust, and even insects.
Very. SFO is is in climate zone 3, and the Bay Area is a micro-climate unto itself:
* https://basc.pnnl.gov/images/iecc-climate-zone-map
Do you think Florida or Texas could do the same thing? Minnesota or the Dakotas? Anywhere in Colorado or the New England region?
An architect will design anything you want, as long as it meets code.
For my own eccentricities, I have the bedroom window open slightly while sleeping, closed when awake.
During the winter, when inside I wrap up in warm clothes, thermals, scarf. When exercising outside I wear only one or two layers. I call it the 'Winter Paradox'.
You must have quiet neighbors if you can stand leaving the windows open all the time.
I say this as somebody fairly particular about my comfort. I can’t stand interior transformer hums for example.
Which city?
But during the worsening wildfires seasons, I must tightly seal and air purify my apartment for weeks straight, and had to buy an air conditioner that I run during the day. The stale air is unpleasant, but unavoidable.
How idiosyncratic are my preferences and environmental circumstances? Are any architects working on house designs for me?