Kovac relies on poured-in-place concrete floor slabs and a steel truss for the cantilevered portions of the structure; he employs steel open-web truss joists and wood framing elements for the rest of the house. A 23-foot shear wall organizes the house spatially, and its thermal mass helps regulate air temperature: it encourages natural ventilation by guiding warm air to clerestory windows and by drawing cool canyon breezes from below. In a similar vein, a chimney stack is outfitted with a mister so that hot easterly Santa Ana winds are moistened and cooled before entering the house. Additionally, a shallow water feature outside the master bedroom helps create a more temperate microclimate.

The house runs primarily on photovoltaic power. A geothermal system provides supplemental cooling, while a sedum-planted roof insulates the structure and reduces the heat island effect. Other green features include concrete with high fly ash content, FSC-certified woods, reclaimed teak and bamboo flooring, non-VOC paints, recycled glass tile in the bathrooms, formaldehyde-free plywood for the sheathing, Energy Star appliances, and dual-flush and low-flow fixtures.
 
Demolition of an existing residence on site is being overseen by The Reuse People, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to keeping usable building materials out of landfills. A minimum of 75 percent of the demolition material will be recycled. For instance, interior fixtures and appliances will be donated to Habitat for Humanity, and framing lumber will be reused in low-income construction in Mexico.

The demolition and construction process is being videotaped and can be viewed at sycamorehouseonline.com.