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Passive Solar Minnesota House on the Prairie

January 30, 2015 by Shannon Leave a Comment

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This utilitarian 840 square foot house sits on 30 acres of prairie land nestled against the woods in Minnesota. It’s definitely beautifully designed, but is also packed with many features that make it a very eco-friendly home for the owners. The home was designed by EcoDEEP, a Minnesota architecture firm specializing in sustainable construction.

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What makes this prairie home so green? First off, the low maintenance metal-clad exterior walls and roof are heavily insulated for high r-values, reducing heating and cooling costs. The triple-glazed windows are placed in locations to maximize sun exposure when most needed for passive solar heating. The windows are all fixed with shading devices that allow for plenty of sun to enter during the winter while keeping it at bay during the summer.

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Inside the home, a sand filled concrete thermal wall and polished concrete floors help keep the home cool in the summer and warm in winter. The wall is super functional and modern, finished in natural clay plaster, adding to the artsy feel of the home. The floors are kept warm with an in-floor hydronic heating system.

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This is a beautiful home with a minimal footprint, perfect for a couple or small family. Other green features that EcoDEEP included in the design are low flow plumbing fixtures for conservative water usage, low VOC paints and adhesives, and FSC wood.

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“We were determined to be as ecologically responsible as we could in building our new house. We felt comfortable with EcoDEEP from the first meeting. They were genuinely interested in what we wanted and guided us through many decisions to arrive at an exciting new house that uses sustainable materials in creative ways.”

passive-solar-home2 See more about this home at EcoDEEP. Images via Gilbertson Photography

 

Filed Under: Renewable Energy, Sustainable Homes, Tiny Houses Tagged With: passive solar home, solar home, tiny house

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