In 2009, CLAM acquired a ½-acre parcel with a 2-bedroom home and a 1-bedroom second unit, both built in the 1920s. With pro bono help from a local sustainable and zero-energy architectural firm, CLAM renovated the main house to energy-efficient standards and constructed a new second unit on “passive design” principles — the first such new construction in California. The work drew the interest of architects and builders from throughout the state.