Revisiting a Passive Solar Home designed in 1982



New Entry Addition



Original Passive Solar Home















As part of a bicycle tour in October 2010, I visited my old friends Ken and Teresa Pascual near Southampton, Long Island.  The passive solar home I designed for them in 1982, plus an addition designed in 2000, still performs well, using very little backup heat, and no cooling, to maintain its indoor climate.  (please click "read more" below, to see additional photos)

Elkstone Farm - Caretaker Residence and Garden Kitchen

Elkstone Caretaker building, July 2010

Elkstone Caretaker Building Model

We are also designing a Caretaker Residence, Garden Kitchen and Farm Office for Elkstone Farm, which will be completed in early Autumn 2010.  The building is heated with six hydronic solar panels, and electricity use from the grid will be significantly reduced by the installation of a 2-kw solar photovoltaic array on the sunny slope above the greenhouse.

Elkstone Farm - Four Season Greenhouse

Elkstone 36' x 80' solar heated and cooled Greenhouse, with the largest Climate Battery we've built to date, completed and planted Autumn 2009.  Greenhouse performed well during its first Winter, 2009-2010.

TCI Lane Ranch - A Community Greenhouse

 

This is a 36' x 60' Nexus Greenhouse with a robust Climate Battery under it.  Construction is now underway, due to be complete in late August, 2010.

Lean-to Greenhouse

We were hired to design this lean-to Greenhouse, wrapped around a south-facing house corner, in Farmington New Mexico.  It was built by the Owners, and we will soon post a photo of the finished product.

Horse Stall conversion to Greenhouse

Here is a horse stall conversion in Lafayette, CO, not yet built.

Simple Hoophouse

This simple, economical hoophouse uses only planting bed climate batteries, so it is just a season extender, allowing a solar heated growing environment from March through November (Rocky Mountain climate).

Experimental Greenhouse Designs - Development Partners Wanted

 

There are a few ideas we're tinkering with in the back room, that might excite you to see.  Our "HoopField" on the left, and our "PolyTunnel" on the right, both intended to cover multiple acres of farmland with solar heated and cooled greenhouse space.  If you think one of these might serve your needs perfectly, let's talk!