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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Our First Board Meeting

On Wednesday August 19th, the day after the release of the 2011 Solar Decathlon RFP, the QSDT held our first official board meeting. The meeting was focused towards generating ideas and support for the proposal due in November. The team is very excited to move forward with the proposal. Thanks to all that attended!

The Team and our Architect Bruce Downey after the Board Meeting

Thursday, August 13, 2009

An Inspiring Field Trip

On Tuesday August 11th, the team traveled to Tamworth Ontario, just north of Napanee, to see sustainable home construction in action! Dr. Steven Moore of the Queen's School of Business, and his wife Susan Moore were kind enough to give us a tour of their dream home. The earth sheltered dwelling, set right on the Salmon river, is currently a work in progress, but still a sight to be seen.

The team was amazed by the holistic design that the Moores undertook. The house includes passive features such as a trombe wall on the south side, a concrete floor for thermal mass, and an atrium for ventilation and natural light. The team was particularly impressed by the large exposed beams made of reclaimed wood from a local barn. The Moores have also been able to collect a variety of reclaimed doors for use in the house. In addition to the low energy housing design, the Moores have been minimizing waste during construction by saving wood scraps for use in their wood fired stove.
The south facing side of the home.

The north side of the home. Workers are seen installing structurally insulated panels (SIPs) for the roof.


A few of the many yet-to-be finished reclaimed beams exposed throughout the house.

The team's favorite of the many reclaimed doors that will be used in the home.

The team was also given a chance to go across the river and see the restoration of an old mill. The mill is being transformed into a gorgeous residence, with a museum in the basement. Beams from the same barn as the Moore's house were used extensively throughout the house. The contractor gave us a detailed tour explaining how they managed to maintain the exterior of the mill despite the fact that the stone walls were no longer structurally sound. In the basement, there is a turbine that uses the head from the river to produce power.

The exterior of the mill.

The exposed beams and loft on the second story of the house.

The view from the balcony, overlooking the river.

The basement water turbine.

The turbine in action.

The team would like to thank the Moores for this great opportunity. We walked away with many inspirations and new ideas. For more information on the progress of the home visit the Moores' blog Notes from the Underground.