Essay by Derek vanWestrum (Aug. 1, 2006)
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| Why build? | |
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The original house was a mere 792 sq.ft, and after living in it for six years, we decided it was time for an upgrade. Of course we considered the obvious path – moving on, buying a bigger place – but the first snag was financial: while we could now afford a larger house in Boulder, it would be one requiring much work and it would otherwise be the same thing: old construction techniques, including poor (or no!) insulation and uninspired design. The second problem with moving on had to do with a sense of responsibility. The house did have serious foundation problems that definitely needed to be addressed, but in addition, it was just a shame to leave it there for someone else to waste time and energy in until they too eventually moved on… Besides, we actually reveled in the idea of “fixing” the problem. |
| The orignial house located at 325 – 28th Street | |
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| Why build green? | |
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To us, building this way (SIPs, radiant heat, etc.) was obvious – in fact, it is quite possible it wasn’t even a conscious decision. It’s efficient, sustainable, and responsible to the planet now and in the future. Our questions are actually for the people who still don’t build this way! As for why we went with solar water heat as opposed to PV, the reasons are a bit personal. I’ve seen first hand what it takes to get natural gas out of the earth, and well, it’s ugly. If I were more familiar with coal mines, I probably would have gone with the PV. The nice thing is that it’s never too late (and in our case it’s easier to retrofit PV than solar water heat)! Regardless, it is nice to pull our clothes out of the solar heated washing machine and let them dry in the sun. Being “off the grid” – even for just a small task like laundry – is immensely satisfying. |
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Julie, Brandy and Carmen stadning in front of the SIPs used to build the Lab House
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| Recommend it? | |
| Without a doubt. Creating a home that is specifically designed to meet your needs changes your life in a wonderful way. We hope this house serves as an example and inspiration to anyone deciding between simply “moving on” or actually investing a bit to repair and revitalize their home in a way that’s good for everyone. |
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Julie & Derek chose an open floor plan
to suit their lifestyle. |
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