What I learned from the holidays

A water main shut off inside the home.

Before electrician gets paid- breaker box switches correctly correlated. 

(Remember the time we were installing new smoke detectors and we shut off the smoke detector breaker- but one was still hot?) 

Where do we want the Christmas tree? No heat there. Extra outlets. 

How do we want to decorate for holidays? Window lights that can reach outlets? 

Window fans that can reach outlets. 

Window AC that can reach outlets. 

Under roof line- and exterior of house- outlets for outdoor decorating. 

Holiday entertaining- 

Great room big enough to hold 4 banquet tables end to end with room on the ends to sit and walk around. 

East west

Front door and window next to it line up with back door and window next to it. Shot gun style? 

Might be misusing the term

Garage to house

Between garage and house a large screened in covered porch. Stairs in garage go up to the deck above the porch. This is where the bee hives will be. Behind privacy fence. 

Also suitable for nude sun bathing. 

Structurally strong enough for a hot tub up there. 

Allow room / infursteucture for a wheel chair lift in garage 

More thoughts on plants

A few sections of white picket fence on the south west corner. 

Behind it... Peonies.

Then smaller ornamental trees: 

A few of each

Smoke tree

Honey suckle

Wild grapes

Wisteria

Ginkgo

Chestnut

Viburnum -scented

Golden chain

Pee-gee hydrangea 

Burning bushes

Rhoderdendron 

Dogwood

Weeping cherry

Honey locust

Layer them in to create a welcoming boarder in that corner. 

Yeah yeah

Okay. Yes, I want passive solar. But opening a window to cool the house isn't going to cut the mustard 6 to 8 weeks of the year. What else ya got? 

Visit ability

Web site: concrete change 

www.concretechange.org

Coined the term 

Visitability 

A conversation about universal design features. 

Stair cases

Stair cases should be built in such a way that ...

The guys that work for furniture stores...

Won't groan when they see then. Queen size box springs and big couches are easy to get up them! 

Bathrooms

When sitting on a potty the door should be able to open and close without hitting knees. 

When a little one is using a stool to brush teeth at the sink, the bathroom door should be able to open and close without having to move the stool. 

When someone gets out of the shower and leaves a damp spot on the bathroom floor...

That should be not the same spot my feet need to be when using the potty. 

The area around a potty should be large enough to lay down and the floor should be warm...

If you are sick enough to sleep laying next to a potty...

You will want the floor to be warm able. 

Elevator

If the garage is connected to the house via the covered back porch...

Could we have a storage / office / yoga studio type thing above the garage? 

And a path from the upstairs of the garage to the upstairs of the house. 

And although not actually install an elevator in the garage, at least plan for one. 

Elevators in homes turn into fire magnifiers. 

Back up heat

Possible propane back up heat. But no electricity required to kick it on. Direct vent. 

SIP's and carpenter ants

Just read an article about SIP's being a gold mine for vermin and carpenter ants. 

Given that the region is FULL of carpenter ants.... 

Sound proofing

Sound proofing so we can't hear neighbors dogs barking. Sound proofing so when parents are up late watching a kick ass movie .... Everyone else can sleep peacefully in beds. 

Universal access

Front door - big wide side walk up hill to wide front door. IS a handicapped ramp but doesn't look that way. 

more

out going air vent above dryer to evacuate humidity

Master Bath will have a large steam shower.

Throne room built for a 6'6" guy to lay down. Or is that the half bath walk through to the Master? And keep the throne room modest - larger than average ~ but normal.

And...

Aging in place

Barrier free

Universal design - kids to great grand parents. 

Vent roof? Soffiit venting?

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/building_america/1_1c_ba_innov_unventedconditionedattics_011713.pdf



http://www.confluencearchitecture.com/vented-attics-versus-sealed-attics/

http://www.builderonline.com/codes-and-standards/eliminating-attic-vents.aspx

http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-102-understanding-attic-ventilation

Oaks

Bur oak Quercia macrocarpa

(Fuzzy fringe ) 

Chestnut. Castaneda sativa? 

Ginkgo

Wild honey locust

Surge protector

Surge protector on the fuse box

Erection of a Hanse Haus passive house in just eight hours

NJ Passive House Part 1 - Passiv Haus

Kitchen

In our current home in Alaska we have a kitchen island. It is 45 inches from the sink. I like that spacious distance feel. Not sure what handicapped needs. But I'd say 45 in the minimum. 

NJ Passive House Part 1 - Passiv Haus

Latitude

The latitude of Goddard park is 41.66

(Needed to calculate awning size) 

Grey water heat recovery

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/drain-water-heat-recovery

as the hot water goes down the drain, it warms the water coming in.

fiber optics with sun and electric back up.

solar collector on the roof,
Bringing day light to dark areas.
And has an element of electric back up. Low level energy requirements. Floor lighting. Bathroom lighting.
Around kitchen sink and stove.
In areas where light is sorely missed in an extensive power outage.

http://shaikmohasin.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/green-illumination-hybrid-solar-lighting/


unable to pin for pinterest.

Suncalc.net

Cool web site once you get the pin in the right spot! 

Great room

I think I would like the great room to have a possibly free flowing floor plan. Maybe a couch and two recliner love seats that can be easily rearrainged - make way for Christmas tree, all face TV for family movie night, gathered in a circle for book club, or pushed against the walls for wild dancing! 

Alaska house

Just measured our Alaska home. The south side is 35 feet. The west side is 49 feet. Exterior measurements. 

So. 

I'm thinking that 

For lakedell drive, 

for the first floor, 

35 feet along the road - that faces west. 

And 49+ feet facing south. 

Bathroom

When a 6'6" man is sick...

Sick enough to lay on the bathroom floor, 

For easy access to the toilet, the guy should fit on the floor. 

awesome article!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/business/energy-environment/26smart.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&