Building a House
Feb 25, 2009 General Nonsense |
My wife and I are doing our part to stimulate the economy by building a house. The construction will take about a year, but the planning, design, and approval process took about three.
Financially, it's the worst timing in the world because buying an existing house is getting cheaper every day. But we wanted some specific things in a house that just weren't available, notably my studio.
Arguably, this process started back when I designed what was known as the Dilbert Ultimate House. That home only existed as a computer simulation that the user could "walk" through, and it included lots of features that had been suggested to me by readers. I thought you might be interested in some of the ideas that made it from the Dilbert Ultimate House into our own house design.
First, we're building the greenest home in the area, at least for its size. Obviously the greenest home would the tiniest house you could build. But my definition of green isn't about giving up what you want so much as finding the greenest way to do it. Some of the energy-saving features include:
Financially, it's the worst timing in the world because buying an existing house is getting cheaper every day. But we wanted some specific things in a house that just weren't available, notably my studio.
Arguably, this process started back when I designed what was known as the Dilbert Ultimate House. That home only existed as a computer simulation that the user could "walk" through, and it included lots of features that had been suggested to me by readers. I thought you might be interested in some of the ideas that made it from the Dilbert Ultimate House into our own house design.
First, we're building the greenest home in the area, at least for its size. Obviously the greenest home would the tiniest house you could build. But my definition of green isn't about giving up what you want so much as finding the greenest way to do it. Some of the energy-saving features include:
- Solar panels
- Clay roof with lighter colors for best reflective properties
- Thermal barrier in roof
- Windows minimized and shaded on the hot West side
- Lots of thermal mass inside house
- Argon filled windows
- Chimney effect airflow (warmer air goes up and out)
- AC unit on the shady side of the house
- Efficient lighting
- Energy Star appliances
- Heat and AC ducts inside the house envelope
The list goes on. Our goal was to get our use of AC use down to a few days per summer. This design should get us there. (For comparison, my current office is in a townhouse that is only 5-years old and I have to run the AC full-blast for about 9 months a year.)
As far as the living spaces, we did some interesting things there too. We built a small cat's bathroom for the litter boxes. And we have a Christmas tree storage closet just off the room where the tree will be displayed in December. Now I just need to talk my wife into using an artificial tree and we're all set.
We don't have a fancy foyer inside the house. That would be a waste to heat and cool. No one lives in a foyer. Instead we have a turret around the front door, so the initial visual appeal comes before you enter the conditioned part of the house.
We didn't want a formal dining room that only gets used twice a year. Our dining area will be relatively informal and just off the kitchen, serving as both the everyday table and where we entertain. I don't want any visitors who feel they are too fancy to eat where we eat.
My office will be in the house. I won't be driving to work every day and adding to the carbon overload.
The back yard will be artificial turf. Water is a big issue in California. The newer artificial grasses are impressive.
Those are a few of the features. Maybe someday you'll see the rest on Cribs.
Votes: +5
Comments
User Name: jifinity
Sep 14, 2009
0
Has the Dilbert Ultimate House been removed from the website? I can't seem to find it anywhere! What happened to the virtual tour? Please help! I'm looking to potentially build myself and I wanted to use some of the Ultimate House ideas...
User Name: franka7868
Jul 29, 2009
0
I love the whole green idea. I've been researching on how to put solar panels on top of my storage shed. I built the shed my self last year with some plans I got from <a "http://www.buildingashed.org">building a shed</a>. I'm still looking the right solution. I would like to use the solar panels to light up my backyard.
User Name: hcl_23
Apr 11, 2009
0
This is great idea. Hats off to your effort. We as a consumer should do something to stimulate the economy. Think what we can do?
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User Name: mbeware
Mar 15, 2009
0
you should look at this : http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2009/03/15/edm-net-zero-houses.html?ref=rss
User Name: Stuhlmann
Mar 12, 2009
0
I don't know if such a thing is available in the US, but here in Germany you can have a small urinal installed in your residential bathroom. You can do your business standing up and avoid the possibility of annoying your wife by leaving the toilet seat up. Also flushing a urinal uses much less water than a toilet.
User Name: Difdi
Mar 6, 2009
0
Two suggestions.
First, you may want to look into aerogel as an insulation material for the house. It's expensive, but it's very high tech, fairly green, and boasts an R-factor of about 20 per inch. Compare it to fiberglass, which is much less cool and high tech, with only about 3 R-factor per inch. This would lead to either thinner walls, or normal walls with insane insulative properties.
Second, there's this company that makes a nifty way to reduce energy costs on air conditioning: I don't know if they have a residential version, but it's still a nifty idea. http://www.ice-energy.com
First, you may want to look into aerogel as an insulation material for the house. It's expensive, but it's very high tech, fairly green, and boasts an R-factor of about 20 per inch. Compare it to fiberglass, which is much less cool and high tech, with only about 3 R-factor per inch. This would lead to either thinner walls, or normal walls with insane insulative properties.
Second, there's this company that makes a nifty way to reduce energy costs on air conditioning: I don't know if they have a residential version, but it's still a nifty idea. http://www.ice-energy.com
User Name: taoteli
Mar 2, 2009
0
Older houses in India have a high ceiling which, combined with a ventilator (a small opening) near the top is very effective in keeping the house cool.
You can also have a roof garden with creepers like pumpkin or melon climbing up to the roof from the ground. I've seen whole roofs covered with these plants. In addition to keeping the house cool, you get genuine organic food if you are careful about what you feed the plants. You can also have a roof garden where you can have dinner with family.
You can also have a roof garden with creepers like pumpkin or melon climbing up to the roof from the ground. I've seen whole roofs covered with these plants. In addition to keeping the house cool, you get genuine organic food if you are careful about what you feed the plants. You can also have a roof garden where you can have dinner with family.
User Name: eglazier
Mar 1, 2009
0
i lived in california and was under tight water restrictions in the 1980s, things do not change over time.
please do not use artificial turf as a lawn, for it will be hotter than hell in the sun. do what we did in the past, forget grass, takes too much water, and use the right kind of ground cover that takes very little, unless it rains then it takes none from the pipes. wild strawberry is what we used for we found that it grows well at the beach where freash water was nonexistent. the plants are put in as a patchwork and then spread out as it grows.. occasionally there are even small strawberries to eat.
there are many other ground covers that can be used. we just chose the most convenient for us.
please do not use artificial turf as a lawn, for it will be hotter than hell in the sun. do what we did in the past, forget grass, takes too much water, and use the right kind of ground cover that takes very little, unless it rains then it takes none from the pipes. wild strawberry is what we used for we found that it grows well at the beach where freash water was nonexistent. the plants are put in as a patchwork and then spread out as it grows.. occasionally there are even small strawberries to eat.
there are many other ground covers that can be used. we just chose the most convenient for us.
User Name: hellfree
Feb 27, 2009
0
I would be happy to offer my services as a kitchen and bath designer to you. It would be an honor to design your kitchen in all green materials. Send me some dimensions of the rooms in question and I'll see what I can do.
User Name: Iacopus Caesar
Feb 26, 2009
0
You had me up until 2 things: "no formal dining room" and "artificial turf". Call me old-fashioned, but I like to have a formal dining room at least for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, & other celebratory occasions where we pull out all the stops or at least for Sunday dinner. That's my favorite meal of the week, I remember when Mom would do a roast of some sort every week & then we'd eat the leftovers for the rest of the week. Sounds very English, and it is (we do a suet pudding every year for Christmas), but what the hey.
Also I have never ever watered the lawn & i have never ever had an artificial turf lawn either & it has always been fine. So what if there are a few dandelions? It's part of nature--and a whole lot greener than astroturf.
Otherwise it sounds very economical & efficient, I'm (nearly) sold
Also I have never ever watered the lawn & i have never ever had an artificial turf lawn either & it has always been fine. So what if there are a few dandelions? It's part of nature--and a whole lot greener than astroturf.
Otherwise it sounds very economical & efficient, I'm (nearly) sold
User Name: AngelaE8654
Feb 26, 2009
0
You can really drive down costs and stay "green" by adding some of the things you've added to your house. Make it as energy efficient as possible (which you've done) and still have the comforts that you are used to. I am glad to hear that you are going green.
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User Name: lenonpat
Feb 26, 2009
0
I SWEAR this is not off-topic, but all the "this will save you 10% off your energy costs" products remind me of an old roommate's golf magazines. It had ads for dozens of products that guaranteed taking 5 strokes off your score, or two strokes, or whatever. I suggested he buy them all. Then he could walk up to the first tee, write down "-2" on his scorecard, and head for the clubhouse bar.
So once you have all these energy savers installed, I figure you can heat the house by lighting a match next to a vent, and cool it by tossing an ice cube up in the attic.
So once you have all these energy savers installed, I figure you can heat the house by lighting a match next to a vent, and cool it by tossing an ice cube up in the attic.
User Name: jkinney5
Feb 26, 2009
+1
"My definition of green isn't about giving up what you want so much as finding the greenest way to do it."
How convenient. By that definition, almost any activity or lifestyle could be called "green." E.g., "I drive a Hummer, but that's OK because I coast on the downhills."
How convenient. By that definition, almost any activity or lifestyle could be called "green." E.g., "I drive a Hummer, but that's OK because I coast on the downhills."
User Name: hatchm
Feb 26, 2009
0
That sounds great. I have a cat batroom in my house too! ...Well, in my cardboard box. ...OK, box/cat bathroom.
User Name: Carpe Geekem
Feb 25, 2009
+1
I'd like to add my vote in favor of whole-house fans. They're fantastic... BUT, they can't make your house cooler than it is outside, so you still need A/C when a comfortable temperature is lower than the outdoor temp.
You might want to consider putting a birdbath in view of your main windows; you'll enjoy watching them, and there are too few places for birds to bathe these days.
Oh, and a hummingbird feeder; ditto the pleasure of watching them, and hummies desperately need more places to feed in SoCal, which is along their migration path and has been denuded of the flowering plants they depend on.
AND, a windchime or 2 to cover up traffic noise and such; the most gorgeous ones I've ever seen are here
http://www.coastchimes.com/carousel-pictures-coast-chimes.html
You might want to consider putting a birdbath in view of your main windows; you'll enjoy watching them, and there are too few places for birds to bathe these days.
Oh, and a hummingbird feeder; ditto the pleasure of watching them, and hummies desperately need more places to feed in SoCal, which is along their migration path and has been denuded of the flowering plants they depend on.
AND, a windchime or 2 to cover up traffic noise and such; the most gorgeous ones I've ever seen are here
http://www.coastchimes.com/carousel-pictures-coast-chimes.html
User Name: chubbygirl
Feb 25, 2009
0
Wow, Scott this sounds totally cool. I loved the "Dilbert" House and enjoyed seeing the blueprints that came up later on the blog. (I was definately inspired by the idea of a "cat bathroom" and would like one of my own.)
A quick question: Why did you not choose to have geothermic heat and air in the house? This seems to be pretty interesting technology and I'd like to hear your comments.
P.S. Would LOVE to see pictures of some things, especially the fake grass. I'm from Kansas, so there's plenty of grass here.
[Geothermal systems are only cost-effective in more extreme climates than California. -- Scott]
A quick question: Why did you not choose to have geothermic heat and air in the house? This seems to be pretty interesting technology and I'd like to hear your comments.
P.S. Would LOVE to see pictures of some things, especially the fake grass. I'm from Kansas, so there's plenty of grass here.
[Geothermal systems are only cost-effective in more extreme climates than California. -- Scott]
User Name: cartman94501
Feb 25, 2009
0
You could move to the western part of the East Bay. I live in Alameda, don't have AC, and rarely miss it. Maybe 3-5 days a year I'm tempted to whip out the portable AC unit, but I don't think I did so at all in 2008.
User Name: Zuluwarrior
Feb 25, 2009
+1
when I see you on Cribs, will you have a gold tooth, a ten pound chain necklace, and lots of ho's?
Shaka
Shaka
User Name: Fuzznsmoo
Feb 25, 2009
0
Living in this area, do you really need AC? We have a whole house fan, so it may get a bit toasty a few times a year, but we can always cool it down sufficiently. And with a high thermal mass and good insulation, your house should stay even cooler.
User Name: Bloodboiler
Feb 25, 2009
0
Mark my words. That Christmas tree closet will end up storing anything but the tree.
