I met a friend while the kids were in preschool (Harry attends, Catherine works) and she took me to the house of a friend of hers. She had mentioned something about solar power and I had an idea that maybe she meant solar panels so I was interested. And then we pulled up to house.
It was my dream house. It was bermed with earth on two sides. It had windows along it's South-east side and a HUGE wall of windows that went to the roof line facing south. By solar she had meant the whole house was heated by passive solar power which was pumped through the house via duct work. It also had a wall of cinder block in the central living room where a wood stove would be for cold, cloudy days. The water would be partially heated by solar panels. The bedrooms were compact and cozy (there's some imagination involved there as the inside walls were framed but not drywalled) and the main living space open and bright. It was big, 1900 sq. feet, but not a monster house.
I have the name of her designer and builder, Don Roscoe, tucked away now. The man doesn't know it but he and his solar house have just stepped into my daydreams.
4 comments:
I too have been dreaming of berms lately. I told Hubby a couple days ago I wanted to live in a "Teletubbie house" :-) Reason being that we are currently temporarily living in a basement apartment, in a city that reaches 30 Celsius easy and was near 40 with the humidex last week. Us? We were comfy as could be in our little two bedroom cave, didn't even need any A/C. It makes me realize just how foolish it is sticking two stories, or one, of a house up above ground where it takes muchos bucks to fight the elements.
Did you happen to take a pic? I would like to see this house. I suppose the friends friend might not be thrilled about strangers snapping pics though. But probably, if they are eco minded they would not mind at all!
Sounds very interesting!
No pictures unfortunately. Apparently the builder has had three homes featured in Harrowslith though so if your local library carries those...
Try a Google search too. Idid find out Don Roscoe does seminars and sits on the board of solar Nova Scotia.
The house really just looks like a funky bungalow until you walk around the back where the roofline meets the grade.
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