Trip Report
The retirement cottage of Eldon Haines and Linda Rose operates as a mini-power plant. At the May 19th gathering, Haines and Rose described the “green” construction of Rose House and how on an annual basis their two-year-old dwelling generates more electricity than it uses.
Haines and Rose attribute a serendipitous convergence of disciplines to the success of their zero net energy use retirement home: energy design, architecture, green building and family needs. SERA Architects collaborated with the Oregon Dept. of Energy and the project attracted grant money to help achieve their energy use goals. The couple chose to build on their daughter’s property, so as an accessory dwelling unit they were limited to 800 square feet. The design incorporates wheelchair accessibility with three-foot-wide doors and a floor-level shower stall - amenities included because Rose had noted her late mother’s difficulty bathing at a poorly designed retirement facility.
Energy is provided by photovoltaic panels on the south-facing roof that turn sunlight into electricity. When the system produces more power than needed, the extra power flows back into the utility grid to be “sold” to the nearest neighbor - the homeowners’ daughter. The sun also provides hot water, through a Copper Cricket solar water system.
The roof overhang is designed to let the sun shine inside only during the cold weather months. Although the north side has but a single small window in the bathroom, the south-facing clerestory windows let in year-round, abundant, natural light that bounces off the white walls. Haines described how the clerestory windows can be opened at the start of the warm weather season to draw hot air up and out, eliminating the need for air conditioning. The super-insulated roof, made from Structural Insulated Panels, helps keep unwanted heat out of the home, as well.
Haines described how the eight-inch thick walls are constructed of “chewedup newspapers fireproofed with some kind of sticky stuff” and how their staggered wall studs prevent heat from escaping. The slab floors of the bathroom and what he refers to as the “not-so-great-room” are laid with heat-absorbing Mexican tile; the floors of the bedroom and study are bamboo. The only problem detected so far is with the heat pump, which apparently was designed for warmer climates.
For further detail about Rose House, readers can refer to the “potluck” preview in the May Bulletin.
