Published: March 31, 2008 04:04 pm            

Couple build a cabin 'off the map'

MANKATO, Minn. — Going green is not only a responsible way of living, it’s become the latest hot trend, from taking shorter showers to buying hybrid cars.



Jaime and Barb Taylor have taken the concept even farther. The couple built a log home that uses green building technologies and leaves a light footprint on their 10-acre wooded lot on Lake Jefferson, which they found two years ago.



Due to zoning, it would have been difficult to get approval on a well and septic system. But cutting-edge green building practices made it possible to build their dream home. Acting as general contractor and researcher, Jaime found sub-contractors — many are inventors and engineers — to help build their eco-friendly home.



“The edge is getting closer and easier than before. If we can do it, it’s clearly possibly for others,” said Jaime, who is a project manager for the Taylor Corporation’s Navitor Division.



The Taylors chose progressive water conservation measures: a rain-collection system and water recycling. Instead of a well, the Taylors have a 1,200-gallon buried cistern that collects rain water.



The water the family uses in the dishwasher, showers, laundry room and sinks is recaptured into gray water tanks, where it is purified and reused again.



The home also has no septic system. It has a compost system that offers zero discharge of waste. A compost bin handles the waste from the toilets and garbage disposal. Using wood chips, mulch, worms and a giant circulating mechanism that turns the waste, it reduces the waste to dirt. A sump pump redistributes water if needed.



Best of all, they say, the system is automatic, self-contained and never touched by human hands.



The toilets are similar to boat toilets. They have no tank and work like a vacuum, only using about 8 ounces of water.



The Taylors also invested in geothermal and radiant heat to reduce their energy use. Tubes in the basement floor and main floor carry water from a geothermal field in the ground, where the water temperature is in the 40s year-round. The water needs to be heated just 20 to 30 degrees to warm the home in the winter.



Although the geothermal heat pump runs on electricity, it is considered by the industry as the most efficient way to heat water, Jaime said.



In the summer, the heat pump can be used in reverse as a chiller, but they may have to expand their system to get optimal cooling.



“We don’t have an air conditioner and won’t ever have one,” said Barb, associate director of alumni relations at Gustavus Adolphus College.



Log homes tend to be warmer in winter and cooler in summer than traditional homes, Jaime said. Barb is looking forward to lake breezes in their log home this summer.



The thermal mass of log walls can perform from 2.5 percent to more than 15 percent more energy efficiently, according to the Log Homes Council. That can translate to a considerable savings in utility bills.





Electricity is the Taylors’ only major utility, and they are considering solar panels to make their own energy.



“It’s happening now — solar, wind and geothermal practices,” Jaime said.



Investing in the latest green technologies can be expensive, but the Taylors estimate their home cost about as much as a conventional home.



“From an ecological standpoint, I’m a traditional environmentalist. Next is cost — can we afford this?” said Barb.



Sweat equity helped bring down the cost as they completed about a quarter of the work themselves.



The Taylors look forward to spending the summer full-time at their cabin, but will move back on campus in the fall. Eventually the lake home will be their primary residence.



Marie Wood writes for The Free Press in Mankato, Minn.





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What is a green home?



Green building means building homes that require less energy and water and use recycled or sustainable materials to help conserve our environment.



A green home can reduce energy and water consumption by 25 to 50 percent. This can save hundreds of dollars a year, reduce energy and water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, states the Minnesota GreenStar Web site.



How do you measure a green home? A new tool from the National Association of Home Builders may help. It’s a green scorecard that scores homes on water, energy and resource efficiency; lot and site development; indoor air quality; global impact and homeowner education. The score determines what level of green a home is: bronze, silver or gold.



Chuck Klimmek, owner of KMA Design and Construction in Gaylord, specializes in low-energy use homes throughout the area.



By just doing what his company normally does, a recently built KMA home reached the Association’s silver level.



“We build above code,” said Klimmek.





The good news is that even at code, new Minnesota homes are likely to score well. Due to our climate, Minnesota has one of the strictest energy codes in the country, so a new home in our state is tightly sealed and well insulated, said Klimmek.



A tightly sealed home will need a good heating, ventilation and air conditioning system known as HVAC. This ensures that adequate fresh air comes into the home.



Heat pumps are an energy saver that Don Johnson, owner of Crystal Creek Builders in Lake Crystal, recommends.



In cold weather, heat pumps pull the heat present in outdoor air and pump it into your home. They work best above 23 degrees so a furnace is still needed. In summer, the heat pump pulls heat out of your house and pumps it outside.



“If you can invest upfront, you’ll get it back by saving money and the environment,” said Johnson.



A home site also can be developed to take advantage of natural light as well as shade to reduce energy use year-round.



To conserve water, low-flow showerheads, faucets and toilets are a good start. Low-volume irrigation systems and rain barrels are good options too.



The most common recycled materials are cellulose insulation which is 75-85 percent recycled newspaper and composite decking material, which is made from sawdust and recycled plastic bags.



Learn more at www.energystar.gov.



Marie Wood writes for Mankato (Minn.) Free Press.

        

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