What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
The Technical Side Note Virtually every aspect of the house has built in redundancy. Listed below are the primary and secondary systems and how they integrate with one another. Heating, cooling and ventilation The house is primarily heated and cooled using Passive Solar heat. It is oriented south/southeast to capture the arc of the sun. In the winter when the sun is low the sunlight penetrates deep into the house heating the concrete counters, floors, columns and walls. On an average sunny winter day this keeps the house warm through the mid day. Supplemental heaters and the fireplace (which has a propane starter) augment the mornings and the evenings. Everything is shut down for sleeping. This is a very comfortable system. There is a back-up radiant floor heater system that utilizes the hot water heater as its resource. It is zoned into four zones in the main part of the house. We have utilized it twice since living in the house, once when we tested it and once when there was that rare occasion in the winter when there was minimal sun for a week. It works great. Radiant heat requires more power and propane and it has a tendency to dry out the air so we us it only as a back-up. The Passive Cooling, in the summer, works in reverse. Open the windows at night allow the counters, floors, walls etc; to cool down and they will keep the house cool most of the day. Vents at either side of the fireplace combined with awning windows create a convection draft that allows cool air to circulate through the house. External shades control the sun on those hottest of days or when an area is too bright. The center window shades are electrical and the bedroom window shades are manual crank. The deciduous trees have been planted so that when they mature they will do the job of the shades. The Tower is designed as a giant swamp cooler that utilizes the afternoon winds (typical in the summer) as its power source. Misters have been placed over the plants and are set to come on three times, in the heat of the afternoon, for about five minutes. This moisture when passed over by the wind provides a cool moist stream of air for the house. Simply open the front door to the tower and the windows on the opposite side of the house and those hot windy days are dealt with. A cranking mechanism allows the diamond shaped wind diverter to be lowered in the winter so that the tower becomes an air trap. Electrical The primary source of electricity is Photovoltaic Solar. The smaller array is on a multi-axis tracker and is rated at about 5 kilowatts. The larger array is fixed although it can be adjusted for winter /summer sun angles. It is rated at approximately 10 kilowatts. This yields approximately 15 KW of power available to the house and shop. The system was designed to allow for power tools and arc welding (220 v) in the shop so it is over-designed for household use. All power generated is inverted through Trace inverters allowing AC power to be available throughout the house and shop. There is no DC power in the house. A wind generator is available for additional power. This system was installed before the shop was built and with the addition of the shop solar array we do not use the wind. A propane Onan generator is tied into the system as a back-up. It is rated at 15 KW and is set through the Trace Inverters to come on automatically should the solar power system allow the Batteries to fall below 80% of their rated charge. It also is set to come on automatically to pump the well water. (See below) The Batteries are top of the line Rolls. These are the batteries you find in large commercial and industrial applications. They are brand new as of April 2005. An automatic watering system is planned for these batteries, however we are waiting for a thumbs-up from our electrical engineer before installing. The system is designed to require minimum servicing. The Trace inverters are capable of allowing grid power to be connected into the system should that type of power ever become available. The efficiency of the system would allow the owner to sell power to the grid. There is a bus-barî along the top edge of the concrete beams in the living area. This is a continuous power source and can have unlimited lights if wanted. Just always be mindful of more power consumption. The walk lights are on a motion detector as are the lights in the arched entry. Water/Sewer Fresh water is provided from a well that is 640í deep and with a 3 hp pump set at 550í. Water is pumped up into a 1000 gallon tank buried on the north side of the living room. This water is then fed into three pressure tanks and pressurized to approximately 40 psi for household use. The water was tested when we first moved in and it was perfectly clear and drinkable. Although we have the capability to filter this water we do not. It tastes great. The sanitary systems are divided into gray water and black water (toilets). Should the gray water tank overflow, it flows into the black water tank and ultimately into the leach field. The intent was to utilize the gray water for outside plants but we never completed the system but it is available. There are three water catchment systems built into the house and landscaping. The front pond is fed by a catchment system off the front of the house and is approximately 3500 gallons and has a float valve that keeps the pond at a constant level. The rear pond is approximately 1500 gallons. These two ponds are used primarily as water features but when combined with the fresh water storage system, they provide approximately 6000 gallons of water for fire fighting. The third catchment system is the dry arroyo on the west side of the house. It catches flooding rain water and diverts it away from the house. There are 10í deep holes filled with rocks next to each of the trees that line the arroyo. These holes capture the water and feed the trees. There is an irrigation system for all exterior plants, however since the landscaping is all xeriscape it is no longer required unless there are drought conditions. The planter in the studio is on a drip system and does not need human intervention. The planters in the house do need to be watered manually.Property Description
This off-the-grid home was conceived by two retired architects and built by local contractor. The open nature of the home is a prerequisite for the positive passive solar experience. Unlike average homes with floor to ceiling walls and forced air systems, this home is totally warmed and cooled passively; there is no heat or air conditioning. The fairly constant 70 degrees is accomplished by having the open air circulation afforded by no full height walls. The heat during the day in the winter and the cool nights in the summer contribute to the comfort of the interior spaces. The Rumford fireplace was built by local fireplace expert who understood this to be the primary heat source of the home. The home is zoned with radiant floor heat, which has not been necessary for the 7 years the owners have lived here. The home does require the owner to be an active participant and be aware of the weather conditions ventilating, or closing windows or awnings as the case arises. Wood and propane are the primary purchases in the heating of the home. There is a wind generator which can be used if needed for additional power. It does have an on/off switch for use as desired. The two Trace inverters maintain the homes power and water needs. The computers in the inverters speak to the home as needed. They invert the solar DC power into AC power for household appliances and power usage. There is no DC power used in the house. This allows the owner to purchase the most efficient appliances on the market. The well associated with the house is at 640 feet with a head pressure at 500 feet. There is a 1000 gallon cistern (or holding tank)which has a float valve that regulates the water level. When the float determines the necessity of water, the inverters are triggered and they turn on the generator, which cycles for 60 seconds before turning on the 3 horsepower pump which then fills the cistern. When complete the system turns off the pump and the generator. The same holds true for the batteries. When the power gets below a certain level the inverters turn on the generator to top off the batteries. The batteries are kept hydrated by a gravity demand sys tem. All of this is seamless. Like any machine however, this house would appreciate an owner with some interest in learning its vital signs and having the desire and understanding of how to trouble shoot potential problems. It does take someone interested in positive maintenance programs. The pole adjacent to the tower consists of a booster antenna for phone reception, lightening suppressors and broadband repeater station maintained by Taos Net. This system gives the owner a wireless connection to the internet for 4 computers. There is a satellite dish for Dish TV on the roof. The house consists of an open concept of two bedrooms and two baths with a living space of approximately 2100 sq.ft, a studio with a loft around 900 sq.ft, a shop with 220 V and 110 V power at about 750 sq.ft and a partially buried storage container around 150 sq.ft. This container currently houses 5 motorcycles and gear on built-in storage shelves and has power for lights and chargers. The ceilings in the living portion of the house are approximately 15/ 13 ft high, with the bedrooms at about 10/ 12 ft. The entry tower is designed from a Mediterranean wind tower. Its baffle can be manually opened and closed according to the needs of the house. In the winter it closes so the cold winds do not penetrate, and in the summer it is opened to draw cooler air through the house. It contains a misting system which comes on automatically (after being manually turned on in the summer) to keep the air cool. The roof top deck and gardenî mimics the feeling given by the surrounding high desert. The landscaping is all xeriscape so that watering is not necessary. There is an irrigation system installed since in the first few years of planting it was necessary to water the plants, however over time that is no longer necessary unless there is a major drought. The interior planters are manually watered except in the studio which is on a drip system. The hot tub is a cedar 6 ft. round 3 ft deep tub without jets or any noise producing elements. The quiet of the night is much too sacred when watching the stars and hearing the water rushing in the gorge æ of a mile from the house and 650 feet down. The hot tub is heated by convection with a Japanese propane heater. No chemicals are used in the tub and it should be cleaned out every 3-5 weeks. The water from the tub is used on the trees. There are two decorative ponds with 1500 and 3000 gallon tanks that provide back-up for any emergency needs. These collect rainwater and the water from the roof. One pond has a solar panel which runs the waterfall during the summer months. The sprayed on hard foam roof gives the house about an R-50 value. The walls on the north are foam block filled with concrete as are the walls under the windows on the remaining structure. The windows are double paned except for the studio and the door in the hallway to the studio. The interior walls are built with bottles and cans which contribute to the insulative conditions of the passive system. The studio and shop are full quonset hut structures and the main portion of the living space in the house is a partial quonset. There are 44 acres available with this property and two wells. The second well is on the 10 acres north of the home site. The acreage maintains the pristine views. The house and 34 acres sit on the edge of the Scenic Gorge right-of-way which is owned by the Bureau of Land Management and will not be built on. The land across the gorge is Pueblo land and should not change in this lifetime. The additional 10 acres is west of the house, maintaining the current views. The view to the south is guaranteed since the property goes to the edge of the adjoining earthship. Beyond the earthship the land is owned by the state. There is a public access road which runs through the property to the gorge near the earthship to the south.
Neighborhood Description
There are 44 acres of land with this property, which borders on BLM senic gorge right-of-way land. This is protected land to the gorge (Rio Grande Gorge) and maintains pristine views. The house is at the end of a dirt road(about 1/4 mile) off the main gravel road which is 2 1/2 miles from hiway 64. There are currently 4 neighbors, none closer than 15 acres away.Market Area
Taos, New Mexico is 15 miles from the home. There are private schools and public schools available. This town of 5000 has everything needed, and also has some of the finest skiing available at Taos Ski Valley, 30 minutes from the house.School District
Location of Home or Land
Rural
Elevation of Home
Mountain
Air Quality
| Agriculture in Area | yes |
| Industry in Area | no |
| Air Pollution in Area | no |
| Pesticide Free | yes |
| Fragrance Free | yes |
| Cleaned with Green Products | yes |
Interior Environment
| Heating System | Solar - Passive |
| Cooling System | Passive Cooling |
| Ventilation System | Other |
| Whole House Filtration | None |
| Whole House Vacuum | no |
Energy & Water
| Energy System | Off the Grid |
| Water System | Well |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Exterior Finish | Stucco |
| Interior Finish | Earthen Plaster |
| Interior Paint | Other |
| Floor Material | Concrete |
| Roof Material | Other |
| Window Material | Wood Dual Glazed |
| Insulation Material | Other |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | no |
| Garage Type | |
| Number of Cars | 2 |
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