June 2008 Archives
It seems unwise to try to build a new house without thinking of ways to
make it both more efficient and more carbon neutral (trendy but true).
Which means among other things, we are going to look into the
possibility of solar energy for the Villa Straylight. It turns out that
in New York there is currently a program that will offset a large
percentage of the cost of installing new a new solar system, around 40%
according to their government website.These
incentives last through 2009 so hopefully we will be able to take
advantage of them. Since we will most likely want to do a grid-connected system, we will be able to put power into the grid instead of just taking it out.
Just reading this article on the pleasures of the outdoor showers in the New York Times. One word: ahhhhhhh!
After a little bit of research online to find out what kind of rocks are laying about all over our land, we discovered what we have is an abundance of Pennsylvania Bluestone. We are choosing to look at this as a good thing as we can use the stone to build our patio and a stone walkway inside the house. What we don't know is if this will be a problem in excavating the basement. There are a LOT of rocks. Hopefully there isn't a gigantic bolder right under our house site.
Random history note: The Starrucca Viaduct (below) is a bridge built in 1848 made of bluestone that carries the Erie railroad across the Starrucca Creek in Pennsylvania. It's been in service for over 150 years. Built to last!
Random history note: The Starrucca Viaduct (below) is a bridge built in 1848 made of bluestone that carries the Erie railroad across the Starrucca Creek in Pennsylvania. It's been in service for over 150 years. Built to last!
The Villa Straylight is becoming more of a reality every day. We have been working with Rapson Architects and Wieler Homes to put this project together and so far everything has been moving right along. We have been getting a steady stream of plans from Toby Rapson (whom Stevie had the pleasure to meet in person in Minneapolis last week) and as they get more specific we get more excited. Nate Wieler is in the process right now of looking for a factory that is New York certified to prefabricate the building.
A couple of nifty details have been working their way into the plan. First, is the idea of building the house with two different ceiling heights connected by an atrium with a set of clerestory windows that runs down the middle of the house. Along with some dramatic added height, it will also catch morning light from the East. And the second amazing detail is a stone walkway inside, beneath the atrium, made up of Bluestone rocks that are found in abundance all over our land. Might as well use what you have!
The house will be roughly 1000sq ft with an added 1000 sqft full-height basement. On the main floor, we'll have two bedrooms, kitchen, living room, bathroom and outdoor shower. The basement we are going to leave unfinished for the time being.
A couple of nifty details have been working their way into the plan. First, is the idea of building the house with two different ceiling heights connected by an atrium with a set of clerestory windows that runs down the middle of the house. Along with some dramatic added height, it will also catch morning light from the East. And the second amazing detail is a stone walkway inside, beneath the atrium, made up of Bluestone rocks that are found in abundance all over our land. Might as well use what you have!
The house will be roughly 1000sq ft with an added 1000 sqft full-height basement. On the main floor, we'll have two bedrooms, kitchen, living room, bathroom and outdoor shower. The basement we are going to leave unfinished for the time being.
Weather
