Hello from middle Georgia east of Atlanta
 

Hi Everyone,
I came across this forum reading about fresh air/heat exchangers. I was impressed when the thread I was reading that was started in 2010 was still being updated. That's some good commitment!

I'm researching for the house I want to build. I've made a plan I like that is approximately 1000 square feet, and I'm working on a plan for later addition. I'm trying to plan ahead now so the addition later will make sense with the current plan. A house that can I can grow into as needed.

I'd like it to be as energy efficient and as good for the environment as it can be(while still meeting my needs and wants).

I've got 2 acres of rural Georgia red clay that are paid for zoned agricultural/residential. The lot is a rectangle with 210' of frontage on a US hwy, 420 feet deep. There is good water available about 40' down and none of the neighbors have hit obstacles while drilling their wells.

I think I've decided on a slab foundation(still evaluating radiant heat in the floor) and Stabilized Compressed Earth Block exterior and interior walls, metal roof with steel trusses(I'm trying to go as fireproof as I can also), solar heat, hot water, and some(if not all) solar electricity.

I plan on documenting the process and will share the adventure with y'all. Hopefully this will be happening this year!

I'd love to hear from anyone that has done something similar or from anyone regarding improvements I could make.

I hope to be invited to the open house!

Welcome it sounds like a fun project.

Maybe start a new post and provide more detail on what you plan to do.

Welcome to the site dcceb. It sounds like you have a lot of fun ahead of you. I agree with pinballlooking that you should start a thread for the house build. That would be great if you documented the process!

As for suggestions, I'd incorporate as much passive house design into your building as possible.

Thanks everyone. I've got to get 5 posts in before the board will let me post pictures, so pardon me here for a minute and I'll post some more info.

RobbMeeX, I'll definitely invite you to the open house. You're invited to the construction too. : )

pinballlooking, I'm going to try my best to document it all. I'll start a thread dedicated to it once I'm out of the planning stage and into the breaking ground stage.

Daox, I'm planning interior walls of compressed earth blocks, so that's part of the passive strategy. Any specific suggestions? Pics will follow with some more details. Thanks!

Here's some more information to spur suggestions.

Here's a pic showing my property lines and setbacks(black lines) and house position(white rectangle). The lot slopes down from the north to south about 3 degrees. The front door of the house must face the road and I'm planning on making it sit on the lot, like the house to the left.

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/member...e-position.jpg

Here is the sun's path at the summer solstice:
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/member...olstice-01.jpg

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/member...tice-chart.jpg

Winter solstice:
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/member...olstice-01.jpg

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/member...tice-chart.jpg

Floorplan(don't mind the floor treatments, they'll probably be stained concrete -it's just a sketch):
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/member...loorplan-8.jpg

I sacrificed alot of rooms for ones that are decent size and the bathroom design is part of my own weirdness(having the master toilet separate from the vanities and tub/shower). I planned for 2 toilets because even in a one/two person house, you sometimes have a traffic jam.

I've been putting off doing the math to figure out what the best roof plan will be to maximize solar beneifits.