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home page » passive solar design chapter » photo gallery detail page ... you are here
HTM, sustainable, natural passive solar housing in the earthship earthome style The basic design of our high thermal mass (HTM™) sustainable housing, passive solar design is presented in the earthship earthome style, but can be easily molded to fit your family's lifesyle and personal preferences. The open floorplans of our natural, sustainable, earthhome design can be boxed in later for storage, quiet areas, and sleeping spaces. Just keep in mind that as you section the home off, the need for supplemental heat and light is only going to increase. This is the basic nature of low-tech, passive solar architecture. We do our best to work with clients on all aspects of design - structural function, passive solar performance, privacy, flow, entertaining, lifestyle, family and caretaker unit considerations. Striking a balance between aesthetic desires and passive funtionality is always key with any sustainable natural housing earthhome design.
click here for the main chapter of our free Passive Solar Design eBook
Here's a first winter image before any landscaping or exterior wall treatments. Please note how the nearly flat front roof section (1/12 pitch) catches snow for a "blanket" effect. In cold climates, snow on the roof acts a an extra layer of insulation for protection against the elements. This 1/12 pitch flat roof design has the additional effect of preventing snow from falling off the roof and onto your glass. The perimeter of the roof is the first to begin melting when it warms up, so gutters are very easy to maintain. Irrigation re-use of the snow is another design consideration: as the snow slowly melts, it can be directed to interior planterbeds where the tomatoes are still blooming like crazy.
Indoor planterbeds get direct (almost 90 degree) sun through angled glass at winter solstice. This ensures maximum heat gain and natural light when they are needed most right in the middle of a cold, dark winter. Sloped glazing may have an unconventional look about it, but it is the only way to sustainably grow crops AND heat a home. If you live in a hot climate, the need for sloped glass is likely not an issue. Cooling climates are easily served by conventional, vertical glass.
Shade cloth is being used below as an awning to block excess solar heat gain. Notice the line of shade as it extends to within a foot of the windows' bottom. Shade cloth is available in assorted colors and choice of shade protection factor to make custom designs for individual climates possible. Proper shade cloth layout is one of the keys to any workable, functionally passive sustainable design. In addition to blocking direct solar gain, shade cloth creates a micro climate around the perimeter of the home dramatically affecting the comfort level inside.
The front hallway of an HTM doubles as planterbed access, really opening these rooms up! Light and airy is redefined with an HTM. These homes have a "feel" that is totally unlike a conventional home. The combination of subtle radiant heating and cooling combines with the open floorplan to create a very livable, natural atmosphere.
Hanging plants are one option for room division and privacy; drapes, sheers, shade cloth, water filled columns, glass block walls, and moveable partitions are some other answers besides building (dry)walls to box the home in. Please note that interior doors and walls are easily added later, after you have had a chance to live in the home for a while and experience the difference that an HTM makes. Don't judge the open layout based upon living in conventional homes for your whole life. Clients are encouraged to live a floorplan for a while to get the feel of an HTM before building additional partition walls. The difference a drape "wall" or movable partition can make is dramatic - without the permanence of a wall.
click here for the main chapter of our free Passive Solar Design eBook
initial design consultation with packet $195*
Questions? Concerns? order an initial consultation to discuss your project
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$195* initial design consultation
Whether regarding HTMs specifically or passive solar in general, our initial consultation will address your concerns.
After reviewing the material, we encourage you to drop us an email with your questions.
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First, we email an extended outline of tips, tricks, and technical details, many not found on the website.
Then, we ship you a two inch binder jam-packed with the following printed information:
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plan review and HTM consultation for $1995*
after initial consultation, we can perform plan review with personal consultation
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$1995* plan review & HTM consultation
This isn't ongoing personal project consultation, and is limited to five or six emails, but we trust the plan review and follow-up consultation puts your project on the right track. |
We request that you start with the initial consultation packet for $195* to ensure a solid feel for HTM principles and get a chance to know each other first. Later, after your construction blueprints are finished, sign up for plan review consultation and send us two complete sets for study. For $1995* we will carefully pick over your plans for possible errors, better flow, wiser use of space, and alternative design possibilities. When pointing out options, we view your whole house as an independent "holistic system" chock full of inter-related, functionally inter-dependent parts from the ground up. With a project as large and complex as a new home, it's extremely easy to save more money than you spend on a good consultant. Building a home is the greatest investment of time, energy, and money most of us will ever make. Having an experienced ally giving you relatively unbiased answers to your questions is priceless. Please note that our plan review and consultation service has never included custom blueprinting, engineering or load calculations. Custom drafting and structural engineering services are best supplied by locally licensed professionals and we do not offer referrals, sorry. Always hire professionals familiar with your area's building regulations and who can physically visit your property to inspect soil, construction and materials. Here is a short biography page: whoweare.htm as way of personal introduction and our standard contract is online at: Terms of Service Agreement. We look forward to being of assistance. |
in-house consultation and personal HTM home tours are no longer available
hourly and flat-fee on-going HTM consultation services are also discontinued
don't want any consultation? DVD only for $9*
we include a free copy of the website on CD, but no phone or email time
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$9* DVD only
One hour long video on universal DVD format
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First half hour walks you through the sustainable design, HTM passive solar earthhome featured on our website. While not a How-To video, the second half does include detailed Infiltrator chamber leach field septic system installation and Sun-Mar composting toilet footage. |
and visit our YouTube channel for free video in 11 parts
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