The environment and natural settings, on and around Heron's house were an inseparable part of the planning process and construction methodology of our home.
Everything that we could do environmentally, and not compromise the quality of construction or the enjoyment of living in the home we included in Heron's house.
We are sensitive and believe in "walking lightly," however I would also describe us as not over the top where we do things that impact negatively in the construction or the livability of the home. The key is balance.
A short list of these principles in place at Herons House are:
Tankless water heater, low flow everything, 6" and 8" thick walls with 200% insulation, Non manufactured components, rather, recycled or natural products (such as wood, stone, concrete.) Native plants and no lawns, vegetable garden, mostly no water with some drip irrigation. Three heating zones, earth cooling of the subterranean wine cellar, natural ventilation, no air conditioning, wood and stone floors, no carpeting, placement on lot for best ventilation and exposure, embodied thermal energy mass for evening heating. No frivolous ornamentation. No grading.
Our next step in "walking lightly" is the purchase of an Electric Neighborhood Vehicle, a 2007 Gem car manufactured in Fargo North Dakota by Daimler/Chrysler. We love this car! We have had if for a month or so and have 400 miles on it. I will write about it in more detail in my next post.
You recharge the gem car by plugging it into a 115 volt standard wall outlet. In a few short months, we will be literally plugging the car into the sun.
Our plan is to install a "gas station" on our home's roof, (solar P.V. panels) and use the gem car as our around town car (70% of all trips) The gem car will only use a very small fraction of the output from the solar P.V., a good portion of our homes SDG&E bill will also be paid for by our "gas station". We expect to do the solar within the next 6 months.
Sure it's expensive, but when you think about a car that can handle most of your trips around town, your own private "gas station" for the car, and a reduction of $150-$200 per month, more in future years, as prices rise on your SDG&E bill, all for the cost of a mid luxury vehicle, (30k to 40K) it starts to make sense. Most of us make that car purchase at that level every four or five years.
We are also looking to the future a few years, with improvements in the electrical cars and Hybrids (such as greater range and hybrid plug in technology) and are sure that our investment will one day allow us to power a plug in hybrid or freeway able electric car to the sun as well.
Crazy?
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