Smaller Houses are in for 2009

2009 will be the year of downsizing, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Small is productive and beautiful, especially when we’re talking about homes. They’re easy to heat and cool, low maintenance, have a small footprint and force you to buy less junk out of necessity. A web magazine called Small House Style, devoted to everything small-house-related, puts the spotlight on some of the best small house designs.

Small House Style also has a directory of small house plans and builders (including prefabs and kits) and a shop full of books on small house design, architecture, décor & furnishings.

Here’s what Small House Style has to say about why they’re so in love with petite residences:

Clearly there is an issue here on Earth. We are not going to be able to continue succesfully at the current pace without disrupting the ability for life to exist as we know it. Big deal, right? Change is the only constant. But there is something to the fact that we are conscious about it and therefore able to change our behaviour. So is it possible to maintain our current lifestyle in a more sustainable way? It is possible but the only way to find out is by making change. But where? There are so many options. Small House Style strives to inspire those who can change our built environment.

Small House Style is definitely a fantastic source of inspiration for anyone who’s wondering if they could manage moving their family to a smaller home.

Link [Small House Style]

EcoFutures Turn-Key Zero Energy Homes

Turn-key green homes are becoming more widely available across the United States, and Solar Village has announced a new set of energy-efficient home designs that put smart, eco-friendly design within reach of the masses. Turn-key Solar Village Homes feature passive solar design, foil faced rigid foam and Icynene insulation, fiberglass windows with low-E glass, healthy indoor air, a solar hot water system, a 2.5 kW solar pv system with online monitoring, and super efficient HVAC system.

From Jetson Green:

Turn-Key Solar Village Homes are built exclusively by All American Homes, a company with plants in Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Iowa, and Colorado.  These plants build “systems built,” modular homes, and matter of fact, the Altos Homes pictured at the very beginning was built by All American Homes in Decatur, Indiana.

The two designs shown here are the Solar Village Altos – 3/2.5, 2047 square feet, and the Solar Village Zero2 – 2/1, 1106 square feet. Three more designs can be seen at Jetson Green.

Prices aren’t readily available, but they’re likely far more affordable than most green homes. And, having very low to zero energy bills every month is definitely a plus. The nine reasons why Solar Village Homes believes that systems-built homes are a great option include near zero-waste construction, low maintenance, smart passive solar design, ultra-efficient heating and cooling, low cost and the fact that they’re customizable.

Link [Jetson Green]

Save Energy: 10 Ways to Winterize Your Home

The greenest way to keep your home warmer during the winter is to make sure you’re sealing out all that cold air. Proper winterization can cut way back on the amount of heating fuel you need, saving you money and preventing you from unnecessarily consuming tons of resources. MSN has a 10-step guide to making sure your home stays cozy during the winter months, from adding more insulation to your attic to wrapping pipes.

From MSN via Budget Ecoist:

1. Clean those gutters

Once the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home’s gutters — by hand, by scraper or spatula, and finally by a good hose rinse — so that winter’s rain and melting snow can drain. Clogged drains can form ice dams, in which water backs up, freezes and causes water to seep into the house, the Insurance Information Institute says.
As you’re hosing out your gutters, look for leaks and misaligned pipes. Also, make sure the downspouts are carrying water away from the house’s foundation, where it could cause flooding or other water damage.

“The rule of thumb is that water should be at least 10 feet away from the house,” says Michael Broili, the director of the Well Home Program for the Phinney Neighborhood Association, a nationally recognized neighborhood group in Seattle.

2. Block those leaks

One of the best ways to winterize your home is to simply block obvious leaks around your house, both inside and out, experts say. The average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall, according to EarthWorks Group.

First, find the leaks: On a breezy day, walk around inside holding a lit incense stick to the most common drafty areas: recessed lighting, window and door frames, electrical outlets.

Then, buy door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors, and caulk or apply tacky rope caulk to those drafty spots, says Danny Lipford, host of the nationally syndicated TV show “Today’s Homeowner.” Outlet gaskets can easily be installed in electrical outlets that share a home’s outer walls, where cold air often enters.

Outside, seal leaks with weather-resistant caulk. For brick areas, use masonry sealer, which will better stand up to freezing and thawing. “Even if it’s a small crack, it’s worth sealing up,” Lipford says. “It also discourages any insects from entering your home.”

Get the remaining 8 tips over at MSN.

Link [MSN] via [Budget Ecoist]
Photo credit: Flickr user chiacomo

Jeebus! Indian Oil Magnate Builds $2 Billion 27-Story Skyscraper House in Mumbai

This might just be the ultimate in excess. The richest man in India, Mukesh Ambani, has built the world’s largest and most expensive home. Ambani is the head of India’s most valuable firm, Reliance Industries, an oil and petrochemicals giant. The home is 4,000,000 square feet and 550 feet high with 27 stories.

From the Times of India:

“The only remotely comparable high-rise property currently on the market is the 70 million dollar triplex penthouse at the Pierre Hotel in New York, designed to resemble a French chateau, and climbing 525 feet in the air,” Forbes said in its report titled, “Inside The World’s First Billion-Dollar Home.”

“At the request of Nita Ambani, say the designers, if a metal, wood or crystal is part of the ninth-floor design, it shouldn’t be used on the eleventh floor, for example. The idea is to blend styles and architectural elements so spaces give the feel of consistency, but without repetition,” it said.

“Atop six stories of parking lots, Antilla’s living quarters begin at a lobby with nine elevators, as well as several storage rooms and lounges. Down dual stairways with silver-covered railings is a large ballroom with 80 per cent of its ceiling covered in crystal chandeliers.”

The report said that Ambanis plan to use the residence occasionally for corporate entertainment also and they want its interiors to have a “distinctly Indian” look and feel.

Four million square feet… how could you not feel like an evil archlord living in this place? It’s like Castle Grayskull if Skeletor had been a modern corporate businessman.

Link [Times of India]

Photo credit: Wikipedia

It’s So Simple It’s Genius: Green Affordable Homes From Landfill Scrap

Dan Phillips of Huntsville, TX has built an amazing home. It’s Dr. Seussian and is built using reused and recycled materials. It’s warm, organic, and entirely delightful. 85% of the home is built with items that were heading to the landfill or burn pile. He runs The Phoenix Commotion with his wife Marsha and their goal is to spark a movement helping the working poor build homes for $20k-50k.

People enrolled the program would be required to spend $500 on tools, have a regular job, and no or good credit. They’re paired up with a local building professional and build their home using left over local and scrap material that would otherwise be heading to the landfill.

Dan’s motto is “It’s so simple, it’s genius”. I think that just about nails it. Dan’s a genius with a smart idea and I hope to see it catch on everywhere. We’ll be following this one.

Link [The Phoenix Commotion]

Photo: Hollywood Frame Gallery