[Discseven]

Originally Posted by red-beard

If you need off-grid power, PM me. We build hybrid solar energy systems. Lots of options, depending on your needs.

Water, you'll need a well.

Permits: You may need a building permit from the county, but usually minimal standards outside city limits

Suggestions:

Design for passive solar heating/cooling. Mostly, you want south facing windows with an extended roofline. This allows direct sun in the winter, but only in-direct in the summer. For a more "extreme" you build a greenhouse/solarium to the south which collects warmth in the winter. You then circulate air from there to the house and to "thermal mass". These days, it can all be automated. You will want a "backup" heating system for cloudy days.

Add "super insulation". Instead of 2x4 framing, go with 2x8 or 2x10. Then insulated the walls with spray-foam. Do the same in the attic/ceiling. This makes the house "tight" and super insulated. You will want to add in an air to air heat exchanger to allow fresh air into the house, without heat loss. There is a 9000 sq-ft house recently built here in Houston like this. They only use 9 tons of air conditioning! My house is 3400 sq-ft and needs 7.5 tons.

When buying a heating/cooling system go Variable Frequency Drive AND geothermal. Instead of a normal condenser, the condenser uses glycol which is circulated into the earth or a water source. These are EXTREMELY efficient.

Hot water heaters, again, use the heat pump type on tanks. The heat pumps are very efficient, especially if also geothermal. I would also install a solar "pre-heat" on the hot water. All of this will minimize the actual electricity you need.

For cooking, I suggest putting in propane. Electric cooking sucks anyway...

James

A banquet of ideas... Thanks James. PM sent. Let's talk.

Originally Posted by masraum

I saw a documentary on PBS or something like that for an off-grid sustainable home. It was really interesting. I think they called it an "earthship home." There's a guy/company that provides plans and builds them. I think he had a small regular crew but then also usually the folks that were going to be living in them helped build them and other folks that wanted to learn about them or eventually build their own would also help.

It was pretty cool. They built it on a south facing slope of a hill. They used packed earth in old tires for the walls (but you didn't see the tires once it was complete). The top of the home was a water collection system and a bunch of water tanks. The south facing wall was designed to provide some light and heat (windows) but, I think it also had solar power. The south facing wall of windows also incorporated an area for a garden. Once completed, the inside didn't seem much/any different from any other home. They seemed to have full conveniences. I think it also had some sort of generator for power in addition to the solar.

Saw that a while back Steve. Great documentary! Am going to see if it's on YT.

Originally Posted by 911boost

Where in CO?

Not entirely sure yet Boost. List of wants goes something like this... Near small airport to sailplane out of. In the mountains. 30 to 45 minute drive to good skiing. Outside of town. Several sloped wooded acres with range in distance.