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&

neat-o idea!

Maybe use it to make pizza too???

ter some serious research and with help from the best adobe-oven-making book ever, Kiko Denzer’s Build Your Own Earth Oven: A Low-Cost Wood-Fired Mud Oven, we gave it a try. (The book is available at www.Grit.com.) Using Denzer’s thorough, friendly instructions, I built an oven in our yard,

Read more: http://www.grit.com/departments/backyard-bread-oven.aspx#ixzz2lEUC2vpF

5 reasons to live off grid

Copied and pasted from an online article: Not my original thoughts, just thoughts I feel in harmony with.


1. Self Sufficiency: Living off the grid in a self sufficient manner brings with it a certain independence which cannot be found in modern living. Modern living (i.e. city living) is a dependent system. Each block or “grid” square of a city depends on the next for support.
If there were a collapse of the financial system -which is the most likely “doomsday” scenario- then the grocery stores, hardware stores, and the big box home improvement stores would be the first to be wiped out of supplies.
In the biggest cities in the world, this leaves millions of people without the supplies needed to survive. Self-sufficiency, at a fundamental level, is all about survival. But it also goes far beyond survival, into the realm of independence.
People like the feeling they get when they don’t have to depend on others, and they can support their families and enjoy their lives with their friends on their own land, in their own home.
2.: Sense of Accomplishment: There’s a certain satisfaction on a job well done. Whether you build your own log cabin, tiny house, or cottage in the hills, the sense of accomplishment you feel must be astounding.


3. Survival: Surviving the world off grid may not be the easiest way to live, but it arguably gives you a better chance of survival in a disaster/collapse scenario. It’s all about being prepared.
4. Freedom: Becoming “Debt Free”. The freedom to provide for your family without the burden of crushing debt. The freedom to spend quality time with your family instead of making money for your boss. The freedom to live life the way you see fit. With true freedom, comes happiness.
5. Happiness: Ultimately it comes down to happiness. We all strive for happiness in our own way. Some folks are materialistic, some seek power or money. Some seek the simpler life. A life without stress, or as stress-free as possible. Removing the burden of mortgages, utility bills, car payments, and living the simpler, easier life appeals to millions of people around the world. Happiness is at the core.
They call it “The American Dream“, but I think that’s a rather narrow-minded and selfish way of phrasing it, since most people in the world want the same things. They want to be happy. Living off the grid seems like the perfect way to achieve it.
It’s all about being happy.

Net zero metering and other notes FHB summer 2012 issue

Because the price of a kW hour generated is different from a kW hour consumed, two different meters are installed. This is unlike net metering which uses only meter that runs both forward and back. (Fine home building - summer 2012 pg 57) 

A house for all ages- pg 62

4 ft wide circulation path around kitchen island. 

Cabinet hardware allowing 4finger grip

To create a home that would be functional now and in the future, design principals in accordance with Americans With Disabilities Act were inter grated into the first floor plan. 

Pg 77

Fiberglass thermo-tech windows that met the passive house design. 

Pg 82

A home that allows for a person with massive allergies (and possibly some chemical sensitivities) to live in peace and good health. 

Eliminate mold, biological irritants, and chemical toxins 

Walls preplumbed for mini split ductless air conditioners. 

Sealed conditioned crawl space outfitted with dehumidifier and radon exhaust fan. With no connection to the homes interior. A small exterior door provides service access (Not sure if I like that or not!) 

They used an architect firm called "zero energy" 

Ventilation and heat recovery systems were sealed until all construction work was complete. 

Energy recovery ventilator (ultimate air recoup aerator www.ultimateair.com) 

Paired with energy recovery ventilator an air filter (Pure Air Systems 600 Hs plus www.pureairsystems.com) uses a HEPA FILTER 

Window seat photo - sturdy and in an alcove. Pg 93

Definition

Homes should be able to shelter occupants safely during severe storms or other disasters and keep them comfortable during the aftermath. 

Miami fade county hurricane code - tie down hurricane straps 

Build w materials that - if they get wet are still usable. 

Safe room /tornado room in basement or garage to provide shelter in the most intense winds. 

Surviving in extended power outages

Building science corp r-5 windows, r-10 under slabs, r-20 foundation walls, r-40 walls, r-60 attic

Air tight blower door tested 

To 1.5 AC/H

Proper orientation of homes

Passive house planning package 

South facing windows could have "solar screens" installed in summer months? Need to have a fully "shut it off" system that still allows the outside feeling in. 

Www.sungagelle.com

Window variety

You can use a variety of window lengths but have all the headers at the same height. 

Hidden door book shelf

Jeremy schrock - in finehomebuildung oct 2010

Built in book case with hidden door. Would be sweet to have library and master connect w this! 

Deep energy retrofit

Fine home building - oct 2010- 

A home that has undergone a deep energy retrofit typically ends up with

R-20 basement walls

R-40 above grade walls

R-60 roofs

And U-0.20 windows 

And a typical air tightness - determined by blower door test - is 1.2 ACH (Air Changes per Hour) 

Me: That's a good benchmark indication of minimums for a new house eh? 

Nice feel. Warm inviting.

Roofing

Double lock standing seam metal roofing. 

C.o. Beck and sons

Maine

Outside

In Florida we had hot and cold running water for hoses. That was cool. An outside shower would be sweet for rinsing off after the beach or yard work. Also helps make life easier for when rinsing sand off a dog. Old dogs dread a cold water rinse. Not going to get a dog, but we are not building just for us. But for generations of family or residents for years to come. Someone will have a dog! 

Back up power

If I were to loose power for 8 days the following things I would like to have operational via a back up power source:

An instant hot water heater (electric) for the master bathroom's shower. Located right above the shower.
A small light above the shower.
A small light above one sink in the master bath.
One light in the Master Bedroom.
One light in the upstairs hall.
A kitchen light
An instant hot water heater for the kitchen sink.
A power for the stove / oven - even a propane oven will not operate without an electric starter ~ its a safety feature.
Kitchen Fridge / Freezer
Garage fridge / freezer
One outlet to charge phones and such
Radiant floor heater
Passive House homes have a forced ventilation system. That is essential to indoor air quality to keep on.



These items would have to be wired separate from the other items. With their own feed in. Would they be powered by a solar panel? A place where a generator could be plugged in and run to this set of items?
"Yeah, go ahead and plug the generator in right here and that will feed our emergency energy needs."

Passive house

Google "passive house planning package"

Landscape Architecture

A cute little search engine (link at bottom) that is rather limited. But ... Would like to see a layered effect with small to medium
emphisis on ornamental and bird attracting
Probably need to live in the house a year before I could really design the yard.
I don't want to plant a tree that grows to 25ft if it would block the winter sun. How do you "know" how low it gets? Can that be calculated?

Some ideas that require more research:
Mountain Ash
Nyssa Sylvatica (Black Tupelo)
Wild grapes
Eastern White Pine
Red Cedar
Apple
Pear
Hawthorn
Honeysuckle
Wild Honey Locust - WITH thorns
Fire Thorn
Winterberry
Aristocrat Pear
Purple Beech
Purple Fountain Beech
Dove Tree - Daviolia Involcrata
Ruby Lace Honey Locust
Wisteria
Black Locust - or Black Locust "Purple Robe"
Canadian Sevice Berry
Fringe Tree
Japanese Snowbell
Katsura
Linden Basswood
Sassafras Tree
Silk Tree
Red Buckeye
Rowan Tree ?? (Kitty's front yard)
Bougainvillea
Golden chain
Scented Viburnum
Gingko
Juneberry
Sargent Cherry
Japanese Red Maple
sugar Maple
Burr Oak
Douglas Fir
Lilac
Magnolia
Crab Apple
Holly (3 of them)
Boxwood
A patch of raspberry bushes
a crab apple
mistletoe
cedar trees with berries
arrow wood
bridal wreath
pee gee hydrangia
smoke tree - like at our Milwaukee house. They come in green in and purple. the one in milwaukee was green. Purple might be neat to try too!


When do they bloom? How big do they get? Evergreen or decidous? two points for each one that has a stage of "stunning beauty" AND attracts birds. (winter roost? summer nesting tree? seeds or berries?)


Low growing dediduous shrubs
Medium growing deciduous shrubs
Small Ornamental Trees (15 to 25 ft)

http://www.mortonarb.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=628&Itemid=6

Kitchen lighting

1) work spaces well lit without being shadowed. 

2) ambient light for a glow 

K.I.S.S. = aquapondics - keep it simple stupid!