Where in the World? -Our home is in New Jersey because the State of New Jersey gives generous rebates on top of the rebates granted by the US Government for having photovoltaic cells, or solar panels. -We will be granted a $2,000 tax credit for having “green” additions.

Our house will be a two story colonial with a basement and rooftop garden with staircase access to tend to the plants. The front door will be north-facing, and there will be a slanted roof facing the south. The house is painted a dark blue color, to better absorb natural heat from the sun.

Insulation and Ventilation Foundational Because we will live in New Jersey, there is the concern of snow in the winter. We will construct a shallow, frost- protected R-22 foundation. The footing of this foundation will sit on top of the ground, and we will use R- 10 rigid foam, which will extend outwards from the foundation equal to the depth of the frost. On top of this foam, we will add about 1 ft of earth, for further insulation and protection. ICF forms will be used to insulate the walls. ICF stands for “insulated concrete forms”. These forms are easy to manipulate, and are not too sophisticated. An unskilled builder will have an easy time installing these.

Insulation and Ventilation Walls Walls will be pre-constructed to avoid waste on the construction site. SIP shell will be used for the walls instead of traditional 2x4s. A conventional “stud” wall often expands and contracts with the temperature, which vents moisture and may cause rotting. Our SIP walls will not expand or contract and are easily insulated. The SIPs are energy efficient and durable. They consist of two layers of OSB (oriented strand board) around a core of expanded polystyrene foam. These walls have an r-value of 26. Since the SIPs do not expand or contract, there will need to be synthetic ventillation to rid the house of moisture. For $1,000 a HRV, or heat recovery ventilator can be installed to let the house “breathe”

Insulation and Ventilation Windows Windows should be high-performance so that heat will not leak in, or out (depending on the season). The windows should have a lower U-value. A U-value is the opposite of R-value. High performing windows should have a U-value of 0.2 or less.

Heating and Cooling Windows and sunlight will provide much of the heat. Windows are strategically placed in optimum sun locations, and are extremely insulated so that no heat will escape. Trees in Newark, N.J have been planted strategically to reduce heating and cooling costs nearly 12%. We plan to replicate this method by planting shrubbery and trees throughout the households property and also on the roof. We will use a geothermal heat pump because it is 75% more efficient than a traditional heating and cooling system. A gray water system will be used to irrigate surrounding land and garden’s efficiently. Trees will also be planted throughout the property to regulate heat by providing shade.

Glycol-filled Closed Loop Heating System

Electricity and Energy Our roof will be erected at a 43 degree angle of depression because our locale in New Jersey will be at about 43 degrees north. This location ensures optimum passive solar intake efficiency. We will be using solar panels to capture sunlight because they can be mounted in any location so they can be moved according to the season. Solar panels shed snow quickly, can be installed quickly and more can be added or removed. This option does not exist for solar shingles. The highest efficiencies have been found in monocrystalline silicon, which is about 18% efficient. On average other materials yield about ≤10% efficiency. To ensure sustainability with this system, we will use an grid-tied system which allows houses to draw on utility power, when needed, and sell power to the utility when there is an excess. This system requires an “inverter” which changes the direct current produced by photovoltaic cells into alternating current, making the energy useful.

Lighting The panels we use for electricity and lighting will not be as efficient if the house itself is not efficient. Thus, we will use compact-fluorescent bulbs and Energy Star appliances. Fluorescent bulbs pay back their extra cost in four months. Laminated glass flooring will be used on much of the south side of the house to provide natural lighting to the downstairs room.

Furnishings and Appliances Energy Star rated appliances are the most efficient. When furnishing our home, we will rely heavily on recycled products as long as their transport does not cause the environment excess harm. For example, recycled glass and concrete can be used to make countertops. Walls will be furnished with non-toxic paints and reclaimed wood or bamboo.