Solar Home Chronicles 9 Friday, 19 October 2007 Visiting some solar homes in our region I was so excited when we got our first opportunity to visit a home designed and built by by Don Roscoe of Solar Nova Scotia. We were visiting friends in St. Andrews NB, and as we told them about our home building plans, they told us about two local families who had also built for energy-efficiency. They got on the phone, and got us an invitation to visit each couple in their homes. The first home we visited was grand and beautiful. Overlooking Passamaquoddy Bay, it blended into its surroundings through its use of colour and an unassuming profile. Instead of utilizing the sun, its main heating source was geothermal. They had enough surrounding land to run pipes deeply through a nearby field, and so moderated the temperature of the home via heat exchange with the earth. Another feature of their home was a stunning Tulikivi soapstone fireplace. Designed and built in Finland, this work of art was disassembled and then shipped to Canada by boat. The owners admitted that it was more of a conversation piece than utilitarian because when they did light it, it quickly overheated their well-insulated home, uncomfortably. So, you can overdo things. Overall, we were impressed. Later, we went to Halifax for a gathering of Solar Nova Scotia, to hear some real-life experiences and to see some more homes. We met one couple who had spent a year just documenting their energy use, and trying to decrease it, so that when they moved into their off-grid solar home, they would be used to the more limited lifestyle. We visited 2 more homes, built by people who had attended Don's workshops and who then worked with other architects to design their homes. Again, just being in these homes helped us to determine what qualities we wanted in our home (and what qualities we did not want!). It was interesting to spend time in one huge solar home, built with so many solar bells and whistles that their upstairs (third floor!) temperature reached 86 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, and they had to open windows. What a waste of energy _ even if it was acquired for free! I asked the owner why he had built such a big house with so many solar gadgets _ he replied "because I could afford it". Eric and I then realized that our plan to build a solar home, coupled with changing our overall lifestyle to be more consistent with energy-efficiency, was not the reason why many other people built these homes. It was a bit sobering. The second home turned out to have been designed and built by Don Roscoe 16 years earlier. The homeowner greeted us at her door with "First, I have to tell you how much I enjoy living in this house!" They had raised 2 boys in it, and now it was just the 2 of them left. I could see the marks of Don Roscoe on the house. The roof had a long slope toward the south, and the siding was vertical board. The interior walls were at interesting angles, and the kitchen was a snug galley. There were many small skylights to light the northern rooms. It is quite different looking at house plans, as compared to walking around in a house. The air in this house felt fresh, the rooms were all bright, and the home looked happily lived-in. After 16 years with 2 busy boys, this couple had just updated their décor, with bright new linoleum in some key rooms. She had lots to tell us about how this home functioned over the years, and we spent a few hours listening and asking questions. The thing that stood out for me about this house was its noise. The home was designed so that air would circulate well. Unfortunately, sound circulates just as easily as air in such a house. The main floor was tiled (necessary for passive solar) and so was a bit echo-y. The lack of curtains (unwanted, to let the sun in, and unnecessary, on this secluded lot overlooking the ocean) probably contributed to this noisiness. A few of the double-glazed windows had their seals broken, so there was moisture obscuring some panes. And the active solar water heater panels were not functioning. So, this house was not in perfect condition _ but whose house is after 16 years! Next time: designing a solar home to suit us Previous Article / Next Article