San Diego/Point Loma has a new LEED certified platinum home. This home is a “dome-home” and the owner reports that his motivation for creating this home:
“One, was to do the very best I could to live with lowered demands on critical environmental systems. To me that meant living in a home that uses less energy and resources, creates less pollution and trash, and especially in Southern California, uses less water. My environmental activism began in 1981 when I started leading wilderness backpacks and hikes for the San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club. My green-building experience began in 2001 with my involvement in the construction of the Friends Center—a straw-bale office building for four non-profits that incorporated light-gauge steel (some “curved”) and radiant-floor heating.
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The second reason was to create a model for building professionals. Architects and contractors are invited to come and learn about the “green” systems, materials and techniques I’ve discovered over the last ten years of research. This is the volunteer part of this effort—helping them incorporate this philosophy of construction into their building practices.
The third reason for building this home is to use it as a model home for those of like mind who would like to reduce the destructive nature of their environmental foot-print while living in the comfortable, healthy and inspiring space of an open, two-story urban dome. This is a four bedroom (or three bedrooms and an office) two bath home with a total area of 2,235 sq ft. This 42 foot diameter dome can be built on any lot with a width of 50 ft or more. This is a new kind of dome structure—never before done to my knowledge. Unlike the old geodesic dome, this home uses “curved” light-gauge steel studded walls to form the dome. There’s no dimensional lumber used and so no forest ecosystem destruction”.
The home owner reports that this feature is his favorite feature of the home is the radiant-floor space heating using solar heated water. The system circulates hot water below the floor and the heat radiates upward and floats up to the top of the dome where there is a vent to the exterior.
The owner reported that his last utility bill the natural gas was 97 cents, his water bill was $6 and his electrical bill was a -$81 credit to him from the utility company.
Read more about this property at: http://www.domicilesforanewamerica.com/Green_Dome_Home.php
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Green Real Estate Appraiser 