Site and plan
Foundation
Shell
Heating, ventilation, air conditioning
Appliances
Interior finishes
Miscellaneous
| Decision | Why |
|---|---|
| Wooded site (deciduous) | Shade in summer, sun in winter |
| Small footprint (20 x 32 ft.) | Economical; less soil disturbance; less root damage |
| Smallish square footage (approx. 1100 sq. ft.) | Economical; easy to heat; easy to clean |
| 1.5 stories + dormer | Economical; cottage character |
| Open plan | Good heat distribution; I don't like little rooms |
| Office on south | I spend a lot of time there |
| 2nd floor dormer on west | Catches summer breezes |
| Decision | Why |
|---|---|
| Slab: 4" concrete on 2" insulation | Provides mass to absorb radiant heat; less site disturbance; economical; no indoor air quality concerns |
| Decision | Why | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Walls: 4 1/2" structural insulated panels (SIPs) | Good R value (R17); tight; uses fewer and smaller trees; creates little waste; easy to modify; minimal offgassing; solid walls; quiet; can nail into it anywhere with no search for studs; strong against tornadoes; welcomed by inspectors and future buyers; goes up quickly; can be recycled |
Why I picked SIPs
Introduction to SIPs EREC brief Source of my SIPs: General Panel Corp. Local contractor: Construction Resources |
| Roof: 8 3/8" SIPs with metal roofing | SIP advantages above (R30); metal is economical and low maintenance | |
| Windows: low-E double pane casements (Andersen) | Decent energy performance; available locally; casements are the most efficient operable window. If you've got more money or a bigger house, look at higher performance Thermotech. |
Andersen Thermotech |
| Siding: HardiPlank fiber-cement clapboards | Low maintenance; long life; little wood content (cellulose fiber); available locally; won't burn or rot | HardiPlank |
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
The house is in south-central Indiana (average temp. in January 27 F; 5308 annual heating degree days).
| Decision | Why | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Direct solar gain: south windows + high-mass floor | Free; silent; effortless; ductless; cheerful. First floor south glazing is 8% of floor area; second floor has less glazing and mass. | |
| Efficient, airtight woodstove (Waterford Leprechaun); a duct brings outside air to the firebox | Silent; cheerful; abundant local fuel; backup cooking; meets EPA regulations without a catalyst. A drawback: the small firebox means more cutting & splitting labor. But a bigger stove would be overkill and require slower, more polluting fires. | Leprechaun |
| Sealed combustion propane radiator. I have one on the first floor that heats the entire house though it's sized for half the space. | Silent; simple; works during power outages. Mounts on outside wall and uses outside air for combustion. | Cozy |
| Ventilation: bath and kitchen fans | For ventilation, I occasionally crack open a few windows and turn on the bath fan. I'll do the same when I have a kitchen fan. I have noticed no negative pressure problems using the bath fan while the woodstove is going. | Efficient HRVs |
| Air conditioner: Small, efficient, through-the-wall Sears model in the office. Cools the entire house though it's sized for less than half the space. | Ductless; simple |
| Decision | Why | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator: probably small Energy Star model from Sears (417 kWh/year) | Cheaper than European or SunFrost models; local repair | |
| Stove: electric | Better indoor air quality than propane. No direct vent, sealed combustion propane stoves are available. | |
| Water heat: Takagi T-KD20 sealed combustion tankless heater | Efficient; good flow rate; endless hot water; less risk to indoor air than other tankless heaters. Not cheap but supposedly pays for itself with fuel savings and long life. | Takagi |
| Washing machine: Fischer & Paykel model, top loading | Efficient use of electricity and water; high spin speed means quicker air drying; local repair | |
| Drier: lines outside and in bedroom | Free; silent; clothes last longer | |
| Lights: compact fluorescents in frequently used lights | Efficient; don't produce heat |
| Decision | Why | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Walls and ceilings: I wanted to use earth plaster on the OSB but will go with drywall | My plaster experiments were unimpressive. Upstairs, I sealed the OSB first to stop its (minimal) offgassing. |
Clay paint recipe in The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes AFM Safecoat Safe Seal |
| Window and door trim: some materials from my woods; some dimensional lumber. | Cheap; attractive | |
| Flooring, first floor: naturally stained concrete scored in 3-foot grid | High mass; durable; simple; looks natural | |
| Flooring, second floor: currently painted plywood. | Simple; colorful (bright yellow in office and bath) | |
| Stair railing: I've got my eye on a huge dead grapevine. | Cheap; attractive | |
| Kitchen cabinets: stock base cabinets (mostly solid wood); walls above will have shelves and hooks. | Simple. Relatively inexpensive since I bought so few cabinets. | |
| Kitchen counters: plywood covered with uncoated copper from local sheetmetal place | Inexpensive but appealing to future buyers; antimicrobial; easy maintenance; will naturally form interesting patina | |
| Bathroom sink: Mexican handpainted sink (Talavera); probably set in a tiled top | Inexpensive (Ebay); colorful |
| Decision | Why | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Slate tile on walls behind woodstove | More mass to store heat | |
| Probably a small water garden in a sunny corner of the living room | Thermal mass; cheerful; can winter over tender plants from outdoor pond | |
| Outdoor clay bakeoven | Mostly free local materials; great bread; about $10,000 cheaper than having a masonry heater w/ oven installed in the house | |
| Soaking tub: outdoor stock tank with external wood-fired heater (Chofu; already in use with chlorine filter on the hose) | Silent; nonelectric; no chemicals; low maintenance; great scenery; easier and cheaper than fitting one in the house |
Heater Filter |
| Rain barrels (garbage cans with hose spigot near bottom) | Can use to top off garden pond & water veggies. House is uphill from garden. |