Off the grid home uses super energy efficient appliances from Green Team's W.L. May Co.
Building and Living Smart in Central Oregon
Here is a beautiful and unique timber frame home that combines “green” features with the economy of off-grid living. Central Oregon Timber Frame, owned by Leanne and Doug Smith, is completing a residence which is also a Davis Frame model home.
When asked why the Smiths took the added effort and expense of building green, they responded “We want to retain a pristine site and demonstrate that living off-grid is very do-able. In Central Oregon, renewable energy is abundant. And in a remote location like ours, it is economically competitive with local utilities.”
This home, located on Cloverdale Road near Sisters, is loaded with energy smart design features centered around the beauty of an authentic timber frame structure and using mortise/tenon joinery. This home, designed by Davis Frame Company of Claremont, New Hampshire, is nearing completion and will show the quality of the Davis Frame design and materials.
The specific features of the Smith home are:
- High R-Value walls (R=26) and ceiling (R=42) achieved by using ICF and Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) plus under floor insulation (R=38)
- Careful home and window placement on the site to optimize passive solar heating
- Totally off-grid with support of plentiful sunshine to generate electricity via photovoltaic panels and solar hot water panels for in-floor heating and domestic hot water.
- Use of energy smart appliances and fluorescent/LED lighting to minimize electrical power demand
- Low water use systems for indoor plumbing and outdoor native plants to support natural/dry landscape
- Use of durable materials, such as travertine floors, stainless steel and granite counter tops; resource efficient materials, such as reclaimed barn wood cabinets, ceilings and flooring and cork flooring, and MDF materials for trim.
These features have been integrated into a beautiful home that is also being evaluated by Earth Advantage against its Platinum qualification criteria, which also qualifies this home as an Energy Star rated home.