What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
This is a non-toxic home to provide a healing environment for people with multiple chemical sensitivities:
The house is located at a quiet end-of-the-road location. The owner tested the air, water, area and all materials for months on site before building the house on 10 acres of land that has never been used for building/farming.
The air quality in this area ranks among the best in the U.S., with prevailing winds scrubbed by desert and forestland.
VALUATION
The buyer is asking less than build cost, but the price is above appraised value. Valuation rules do not consider the high cost of building materials and processes for a chemically sensitive occupant. David Madden, Econest Design, both designed and supervised the building of this passive solar dwelling. The building protocol and standards are available for review.
WATER
The 450-foot well provides excellent, clean water (report available). The steel well pipe has a stainless-steel screen. Premium quality components are used throughout (no PVC or other dangerous chemicals anywhere along the water path). The system includes a sediment filter in the well house. PEX tubing is used exclusively for all water within the house, including radiant floor heat.
ELECTRICAL
All electrical power is shielded and grounded, with the meter more than three hundred feet from the house. The main power goes to the detached garage utility room and then to the house fusebox, which is located on an exterior wall. No metal reinforcing is used, which avoids setting up any electrical fields in the walls or floor. Fiberglass mesh was used for the exterior stucco and fiberglass reinforcement rods were used in the concrete walls.
No wireless signals are used. Phone, Cat6 and coax cable low-voltage wiring is used throughout, and wall plates include all three connections. Additionally, there is a wall switch in the bedroom that disables all electrical current in the sleeping area.
Additionally, there is a 220 volt RV electrical outlet on the garage wall closest to the driveway and farthest from the house for guest parking. The water for RV hookup is the same pristine water used for the house.
AIR CONSIDERATIONS
The house was designed to move any potential problems away from the living space. The mechanicals (boiler, water heater, main electrical power) are in the garage in a separate utility room. The heated water for the three-zone radiant in-floor heating runs in an insulated tunnel across the courtyard from the boiler located in the utility room. A low-power recirculating pump keeps domestic hot water available to any faucet.
A PureAir Systems 600HS whole-house HEPA and Charcoal filter is located in the house attic. There are ducting and dampers for providing outside air that can be used to bring cool air into the house in the summer evenings or the air can be recirculated in the house when outside air is too warm or cold. The fan in the unit is variable speed with the controller mounted on the main floor.
The house foundation is insulated with a thick bed of locally-sourced pumice. The floor is reinforced with fiberglass re-rod. The flooring is ceramic tile, and plain thin set (portland cement) is used for setting the tile and for all the grout. No specialized grout was used to avoid colors or plasticizers.
The house walls are Durisol insulated concrete forms with rock wool insulation. The interior surface is Structo-Lite plaster with a final layer of American Clay with no sealer. The exterior surface is stucco applied to the fiberglass screen with no vapor barrier. This creates a high insulation factor while still allowing walls to breathe. This eliminates trapped moisture from leading to mold and prevents the build up of toxic fumes.
The wall panels used for the ceiling of the house and the walls and ceilings of the garage and attics are Magnum MgO board. They're painted with colored AFM clay paint or Bioshield white primer.
The wood trim and interior doors are sealed with AFM Durostain Safecoat finish, with the exception of the window sills which are sealed with Bioshield satin wall paint to resist UV deterioration to minimize reapplication.
The roof is steel and the ceiling insulation is cellulose. All framing, flooring and roof panels is sealed with Miracle Cover. For all floor and roof panels only 3/4" plywood is used instead of particleboard.
Any adhesive or sealing requirements (tub, sinks, countertops, fan ducts, etc.) were performed using only 100% silicon rubber.
Cabinets are from IKEA and meet strict European standards for formaldehyde-free materials. The owner tested cabinets for months before using them in the house. The owner had no reaction to them even when they were new.
AMENITIES
The Heavenly Heat two-person infrared sauna is in the bathroom. It is tested but unused. The bathroom also features an American Standard whirlpool spa tub. The house has a stunning view of the valley below and the Pedernal butte made famous in the paintings of Georgia O'Keefe. The landscape is excellent for hikers and walkers, and organic food can be purchased in nearby Abiquiu in the summer.
EXPANSION
The main house is 1204 square feet and was designed to maximize usable living space. It was also built for future expansion. The addition of another large bedroom or two smaller ones is planned with the structure of the west-facing wall and roof line build to enable this expansion. The main walk-in clothing closet was designed to be converted to a hallway to the planned bedrooms with a door header built into the exterior wall. The radiant heat system has an extra zone stubbed in. An additional electrical power circuit is terminated in the attic wall. One side of the courtyard wall has been designed so that it be can demolished and terminated at the new addition's exterior wall. More than enough new matching floor tile is on site in the utility room for the addition.
LIVABILITY
The property is accessible on one level with no steps except retractable ladders to the spacious attics. The finished attic in the house and garage is for seasonal storage or for storage of seldom-used items.
A large enclosed courtyard separates the house from the garage and greatly expands the private usable space.
The building protocol called on the chemically-sensitive owner to visit suppliers sites and smell all sand and truck beds used for transport. Strict no-smoking, no cologne rules were enforced for builders. All cleaning has been accomplished using a steam cleaner, 7th Generation unscented dish soap, unscented glycerine soap, vinegar, baking soda, or Charlie's Soap (a coconut-based soap for washing clothes), and Ecover unscented dishwasher soap. Dryer sheets, deodorizers, and softeners have never been used.
KITCHEN/DINING AREA
The kitchen includes stainless steel appliances (dishwasher, electric oven/range, refrigerator-freezer combo, range hood) and a stainless-like finish exists on the washer and dryer. A stainless utility table is in the kitchen’s center. Ample cabinet space is available with built in lazy susans and convenient drawer space. Counter space is extended to provide a breakfast place for up to three people. The dining area is a separate room with lots of light and a door to exit to an outdoors portal for meals or leisurely conversation.
BEDROOM
The bedroom includes two sets of windows, a door to an outside portal and a magnificent view of sunsets and the Pedernal butte.
GARAGE
The house has a detached and heated two-car garage and workspace for hobbyists or mechanical tools. There is an overhead fan to draw air outside. It is finished and one counter has a granite work surface. A mudroom to the garage provides space for hanging clothes, storing boots and other items. A separate utility room supports the main electrical fuse box, domestic hot water supply, boiler for in-floor water heating and other functions.
IMPRESSION
Chemically sensitive visitors have entered the house when viewing a rebuilt camper the owners recently sold. None have had any problems with the house, which has been lauded as a beautiful, safe, and sacred place.Property Description
We offer a healing sanctuary for one suffering from multiple chemical sensitivities. Built on virgin land and possessing the cleanest of desert-scrubbed air, this carefully crafted, beautiful home also boasts astonishing views in a rural location, and beautiful non-toxic construction. To create a safe and recuperative environment, the walls are Durasol insulated concrete forms with stucco on the outside and beautiful unsealed clay over plaster on the inside, designed for insulation and transference of moisture. The floors are tile and all finishes and insulation are non-toxic. The mechanical room, with furnace and water heater, are in the detached garage, piping radiant heat and recirculating hot water to the home. The electrical system is shielded and grounded with the meter more than 300 feet from the house. There are no wireless signals in the house. Internet is available via cable. The water well is 450 deep with stainless steel casing. All plumbing. including the radiant heat is PEX tubing. There is a PureAir systems whole-house HEPA and charcoal filter system to ensure a clean interior environment. The bath includes a whirlpool spa tub and a two person infrared sauna. The kitchen countertops are granite, appliances stainless steel and all fixtures are high end. Existing plans allow for addition. This fabulous home is located less than an hour from Santa Fe on 11 acres. Please see attached documents for more details (D).
Neighborhood Description
The house is situated on 11+ acres of land at 6,500 feet above sea level and includes a trail once used by horses but that is now cut off by a neighbor’s fence. That land is not irrigated and requires minimal maintenance.
The house is on a mesa in a community where plots are each 10 acres. The road to the community is maintained by the Vista de Pedernal Homeowners Association. Annual dues for the association are $100 quarterly and have remained stable. The house is in complianceMarket Area
This mesa-top location is about an hours drive north of Santa Fe and 20 minutes from Espanola, NM. The surrounding is rural without large scale agriculture.School District
Espanola Schools serve this areaCommunity
Culturally and economically diverse population. National cultural Heritage site with four centuries of European history and thousands of years of Native American presence.Location of Home or Land
Rural
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 | Hydronic Floor Heat (radiant) |
| Cooling System | Passive Cooling |
| Ventilation System | Other |
| Whole House Filtration | HEPA filtration |
| Whole House Vacuum | no |
Energy & Water
| Water System | Well |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Exterior Finish | Stucco |
| Interior Finish | Other |
| Interior Paint | No VOC |
| Floor Material | Tile |
| Roof Material | Metal |
| Window Material | Wood Dual Glazed |
| Insulation Material | Other |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | yes |
| Garage Type | detached |
| Number of Cars | 2 |
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