Posts tagged ‘passive solar’
Hopper Design, LLC
Cape shown with solar, which can be added later; 3br/2.5 baths
If you are thinking about building a sustainable, energy-efficient home, you may want to put Thomas Hopper on your list of potential architects. He has many years of experience as a green architect/designer and has solar device patents in his name. He is in New Hampshire. His website is
http://www.hopperdesignllc.com
. One of the first things you’ll notice there is that he has home designs/plans for sale for just $29.95 each! There are a range of sizes from quite small and modest cottages to the more substantial. He can also modify any of his designs to suit your desires or will design a custom home for you. There is also some very useful information on his website about solar techniques/technology and some valuable links. Thomas Hopper is definitely someone you should consider speaking with if you think you might like to build a highly energy-efficient home. His education and background are impressive. (Download the Curriculum Vitae/Resume at his website and take a look.)
Same Cape as above, alternate view/time of year
Green Building Advisor Website
If you’re new to the concept of green building and want to build a sustainable and energy-efficient home, check out this PAGE.
Sun's Path
The sun moves, but houses stay put. The sun is a lot higher in the sky in summer than in winter. You can use overhangs and trees to block the sun’s heat in summer. In the winter, when you want the benefit of the sun’s warmth, the sun’s rays shine below the overhangs and the leaves are gone from the trees.
Siting can keep a house warm and cool
How a house is oriented to the sun has a dramatic impact on heating and cooling costs — the largest energy load in most homes.
As promising as photovoltaic (PV) and solar hot-water collectors are for reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, passive solar design alone can lower heating costs tremendously. Much of the reduction is available without spending an extra dime. (more…)
What is Sustainable Design?
It is helpful to understand what terms like “Sustainable Design,” Energy-Efficiency,” and “Green” mean. It is also key to understand what “green washing” is. There are a lot of misunderstandings about these terms and there seem to be a range of definitions thrown around, depending on who you are speaking with. (more…)
What Makes Clark Hill Woods Unique?
We have gone to considerable lengths to preserve the character of the area and have done selective forestry management to enhance the health and beauty of all of the wooded areas that make up the majority each lot.
- Located animal trails on the property; designed lots so as to allow these to remain with little or no disturbance
- Selectively removed some trees to improve overall health of forested areas, allowing more sunlight to reach the forest floor, make walking, hiking, or cross-country skiing easier, and provide the ability to orient each home so it can benefit from passive solar warmth with no increase in building costs (more…)
