Could this be the most water-wise house in Los Angeles? Architect Frank Pasker and designer Grit Leipert call their new Mount Washington experiment Nob Hill Haus, and though the name may sound vaguely German or San Franciscan, the home's design is firmly centered on the needs and environmental concerns of modern L.A.

A cistern buried underground can store 1,500 gallons of rainwater funneled from the roof. A gray-water system -- the first to be permitted by the city since California adopted new gray-water rules in 2009 -- draws the discharge from the washing machine, shower and sink into pipes that irrigate the newly planted landscape.

The house's exterior panels are made of recycled CDs, its insulation is made of recycled glass, and other green elements abound -- but it's the water systems that truly set the house apart. Build It Green, a California nonprofit focused on driving governmental policy and stimulating consumer demand for green housing, recently gave Nob Hill Haus one of the organization's highest water-conservation scores in the Los Angeles region. Nob Hill Haus is "a leading example in residential water conservation," Built It Green project manager Chris Becker said.

Best of all: The house is open for public viewing noon to 4 p.m. today. The address is 4825 Nob Hill Drive, Los Angeles.

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Article and graphic: Nob Hill Haus

Photos: Water-wise house in dry L.A.

The Dry Garden, our weekly column on sustainable landscaping

-- Susan Carpenter

Photo credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Illustration: Mark Hafer / Los Angeles Times