Cool Houses
May. 15th, 2005 09:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebToday Robin, John and I took the Cool House Tour, a tour of nine buildings with high energy and resource efficiency. Sadly, the things we noticed mostly had nothing to do with energy or resource efficiency.
For example, the first place we visited demonstrated great use of both passive and active solar design. What I noticed were the totally cool bookshelves. There were at least two sets where poles went through holes in the shelves, and then some kind of bar went through the pole just under the shelf to hold it up. I think this was the one with the fish pond wrapping around an exterior corner of the house, visible from several interior rooms with large windows.
At the second place we visited, I was supposed to be impressed by the ventilation system running up all three floors. But what I remember best is the screened-in porch. They attached the screen to the outside because it looked better on the inside, and you couldn't see it very well from the outside anyway, since it was not on the bottom floor. They chose a dark plastic screen because you can see easily through dark screen and because plastic doesn't rust. Then they stained the exterior supports and screening attachment materials dark so it would all blend in to one dark unit from the outside. I have aluminum screens on my windows, but some need replacing, and it was nice to see how other people chose their screening material. Also, I enjoy fantasizing about screened-in porches.
The third building we visited had rammed-earth walls. But what was most noticeable was the loft. The only way up was a ladder, and there was nothing at any edge to prevent you from throwing yourself back down to the ground floor. They had no bat-poles at all, like they should have. (I meant railings. Of course. Because I am a mature, responsible adult.) I liked the interesting roof line with stained glass and the blue tile in the bathroom. This had the best shower: totally private but with a great view of the plants outside.
The fourth place we had expected to be the most beautiful on the outside. It did look pretty good. It was difficult to notice the "damp blown, recycled cardboard wall insulation filling every nook and cranny to minimize heat loss" or that "The duct system is constructed of sealed sheet metal, maximizing even airflow and reducing leakage." What I liked best were the limestone interior walls. And the huge storage area, the size most people have only in their garages, right in the middle of the house.
The fifth place had a cantilevered roof and decks which shaded the house. These were great. They also had a great built-in reading alcove. And I think this was the place where the pipe leading to the showerhead was also the shower curtain rod.
The sixth place had "a tankless gas water heater that ignites from the flow of water." I actually saw this. It was wonderfully tiny. I have no idea how it works. We mostly noticed the floor plan. They made a small place feel large by having very few rooms: a kitchen/dining room/living room on one side, a bedroom/living room on the other side, and an entry way and bathroom in the middle. This house had the second best shower: a stone tile one you could roll into (in your wheelchair) with stone tile cubby holes for the soap, shampoo, etc.
The seventh place had a small footprint: it was tall and narrow. A storeroom poked into a triangular corner of the property and was fabulously usable. And this place had a great tiny sink in one bathroom.
The eighth place minimized southern exposure for the walls while maximizing it for the solar panels on the roof. But what I noticed is that the office had desk space along virtually every wall. It looked like the desk tops were made from doors on filing cabinets and other storage units, but the doors were connected so you could barely notice the seams. I've always thought that would be great so that you could have all your computers out as well as your sewing machine, ironing board, etc. But I would have more (some) bookshelves or upper cabinets over the desks instead of windows. They also had another big desk in the middle, the way fancy kitchens have islands.
The last place achieved a high rating at a low cost. But what we noticed was that they had a sprinkler system. Each sprinkler is heat sensitive, so a fire in one room should set off only the sprinkler in that room. There was even a sprinkler in the kitchen. As you might expect, the stove had a ventilation system that led to the exterior (directing the heat away from the sprinkler, we all hope). It was theorized that four-year-olds could not set the sprinklers off by playing with matches at their natural height. As soon as they learn to climb the shelves or carry in the ladder from the garage, all bets are off.
The guidebook says, "It will likely be impossible to travel to all the locations in the time allotted." Ha! We had over an hour to spare!
Another thing that happened today was that the tour, which I had thought was from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. was actually from noon to 6:00 p.m. So we were forced to wait it out at a fabulous cafe and eat French toast made from carrot cake, with cream cheese "syrup." This is not as crazy as I thought it would be. Making French toast of carrot cake probably made it slightly more nutritious and definitely made it crunchy on the outside and warm on the inside. No need for any kind of syrup.
Afterwards I was forced to attend a barbecue with steak, steamed broccoli, spinach salad, warm whole-wheat rolls, and cheese and crackers. I got to see the successful testing of a device that measured the interior temperature of your meat while it is cooking outside and tells you what that temperature is in the house. Of course it is also a talking device, telling you when your meat has met the target temperature and also a warning message when it gets close. "Your entree is almost ready."
For example, the first place we visited demonstrated great use of both passive and active solar design. What I noticed were the totally cool bookshelves. There were at least two sets where poles went through holes in the shelves, and then some kind of bar went through the pole just under the shelf to hold it up. I think this was the one with the fish pond wrapping around an exterior corner of the house, visible from several interior rooms with large windows.
At the second place we visited, I was supposed to be impressed by the ventilation system running up all three floors. But what I remember best is the screened-in porch. They attached the screen to the outside because it looked better on the inside, and you couldn't see it very well from the outside anyway, since it was not on the bottom floor. They chose a dark plastic screen because you can see easily through dark screen and because plastic doesn't rust. Then they stained the exterior supports and screening attachment materials dark so it would all blend in to one dark unit from the outside. I have aluminum screens on my windows, but some need replacing, and it was nice to see how other people chose their screening material. Also, I enjoy fantasizing about screened-in porches.
The third building we visited had rammed-earth walls. But what was most noticeable was the loft. The only way up was a ladder, and there was nothing at any edge to prevent you from throwing yourself back down to the ground floor. They had no bat-poles at all, like they should have. (I meant railings. Of course. Because I am a mature, responsible adult.) I liked the interesting roof line with stained glass and the blue tile in the bathroom. This had the best shower: totally private but with a great view of the plants outside.
The fourth place we had expected to be the most beautiful on the outside. It did look pretty good. It was difficult to notice the "damp blown, recycled cardboard wall insulation filling every nook and cranny to minimize heat loss" or that "The duct system is constructed of sealed sheet metal, maximizing even airflow and reducing leakage." What I liked best were the limestone interior walls. And the huge storage area, the size most people have only in their garages, right in the middle of the house.
The fifth place had a cantilevered roof and decks which shaded the house. These were great. They also had a great built-in reading alcove. And I think this was the place where the pipe leading to the showerhead was also the shower curtain rod.
The sixth place had "a tankless gas water heater that ignites from the flow of water." I actually saw this. It was wonderfully tiny. I have no idea how it works. We mostly noticed the floor plan. They made a small place feel large by having very few rooms: a kitchen/dining room/living room on one side, a bedroom/living room on the other side, and an entry way and bathroom in the middle. This house had the second best shower: a stone tile one you could roll into (in your wheelchair) with stone tile cubby holes for the soap, shampoo, etc.
The seventh place had a small footprint: it was tall and narrow. A storeroom poked into a triangular corner of the property and was fabulously usable. And this place had a great tiny sink in one bathroom.
The eighth place minimized southern exposure for the walls while maximizing it for the solar panels on the roof. But what I noticed is that the office had desk space along virtually every wall. It looked like the desk tops were made from doors on filing cabinets and other storage units, but the doors were connected so you could barely notice the seams. I've always thought that would be great so that you could have all your computers out as well as your sewing machine, ironing board, etc. But I would have more (some) bookshelves or upper cabinets over the desks instead of windows. They also had another big desk in the middle, the way fancy kitchens have islands.
The last place achieved a high rating at a low cost. But what we noticed was that they had a sprinkler system. Each sprinkler is heat sensitive, so a fire in one room should set off only the sprinkler in that room. There was even a sprinkler in the kitchen. As you might expect, the stove had a ventilation system that led to the exterior (directing the heat away from the sprinkler, we all hope). It was theorized that four-year-olds could not set the sprinklers off by playing with matches at their natural height. As soon as they learn to climb the shelves or carry in the ladder from the garage, all bets are off.
The guidebook says, "It will likely be impossible to travel to all the locations in the time allotted." Ha! We had over an hour to spare!
Another thing that happened today was that the tour, which I had thought was from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. was actually from noon to 6:00 p.m. So we were forced to wait it out at a fabulous cafe and eat French toast made from carrot cake, with cream cheese "syrup." This is not as crazy as I thought it would be. Making French toast of carrot cake probably made it slightly more nutritious and definitely made it crunchy on the outside and warm on the inside. No need for any kind of syrup.
Afterwards I was forced to attend a barbecue with steak, steamed broccoli, spinach salad, warm whole-wheat rolls, and cheese and crackers. I got to see the successful testing of a device that measured the interior temperature of your meat while it is cooking outside and tells you what that temperature is in the house. Of course it is also a talking device, telling you when your meat has met the target temperature and also a warning message when it gets close. "Your entree is almost ready."