The homeowner has added an additional 500 square feet of living space to this house since 2006. He has roofed this area in a standing seam steel roof, and added a peel-and-stick photovoltaic system rated at 1.9 kilowatts. If that weren’t enough, he is experimenting with 500 linear feet of tubing under this steel roof to see if he can heat up 250 gallons of water to a usable temperature of 80° to 100°.

• Passive Solar Features
  • Oriented true south
  • Sunspace
  • Thermal mass is in the floors which are concrete "Twin T’s"
  • Daylighting, from windows and a clerestory, is used throughout the house for heating
  • Shade trees are used for sun control
    
    
• Photovoltaic Panels
  • Roof mounted
  • 15° up from horizontal orientation
  • 1.9 kilowatts from 28 panels
  • Grid tied
  • Utility bills are reduced by 25% a month
  • Self installed
    
    
• Solar Hot Water
  • 6 – 4’ x 6’ panels
  • 250 gallon storage tank
  • Self installed
  • Domestic hot water and space heating use
    
    
• Thermal Envelope / Comfort
  • Insulation values are higher than building code
  • Heat Mirror with gas (additional R 9) windows (most)
  • Low-e on the east and west and the rest are R – 4
  • Evaporative cooling
  • Expanding foam insulation around windows and outlets
  • A self made heat recovery system (circa 1984!)
    
    
• Lighting
  • Natural light in all the rooms
  • Skylights
  • CFL bulbs
  • Photo cell is used on the light at the front entry
    
    
• Appliances
  • Energy Star rated dishwasher and clothes washer.
  • Other appliances are old and will be replaced.
    
    
• Transportation / Lifestyles
  • Highly fuel efficient cars
  • Recycling
  • Gardening
  • Low Consumption Lifestyle
    
    
• Re-Use / Salvaged Materials / Recycle
  • Reclaimed and reused materials
  • Use of all waste materials
  • Use of a construction material reuse program
    
    
• Extremely informed homeowner
  
  
• Green Features
  • Reused materials
  • Cellulose insulation
  • Oriented Strand Construction board
  • Steel panel roof
  • FSC Certified lumber
  • Bamboo flooring used on a wall of the addition
  • Engineered lumber floors used in the addition
    
    
• Water Features
  • Low flush toilets
  • Xeriscaping
  • Drip irrigation
  • Perforated hardscape surfaces