 The Tale of a Sustainable Home
or....
A 200 Year Journey back…
On January 17, 1812 a villager walked in to the general store in the west village of Newbury Massachusetts and saw the clerk, young Henry Bailey, stocking new oil lamps and new pints of “whale oil”.
Young Bailey was very impressed by the purchase that his father made in Boston, and Bailey suggested that the villager purchase these items as a birthday gift for his wife.
As it was in small towns, everyone knew that the villager’s wife was a local school mom who could not correct all her papers at night because she could not read very well by candle light.
And so the first step of a 200 year journey began; a journey back from dependence on non-renewable resources. The facts as we know them
- Circa 1812 - A four room, center hearth colonial home was built at 12 Maple Street in West Newbury, MA. Most surrounding land was cut clear for agricultural purposes. This residence was heated by a wood hearth and serviced by a 15’ deep stone-lined hand-dug well outside and included outdoor plumbing. A horse barn/carriage house supported the basic transportation needs of the occupants. The occupants were living in a 100% sustainable environment.
- 1869 – The house was purchased by H.T. Bailey. Bailey added Victorian details to the facade and removed the center hearth to replace it with two chimneys, possibly adding indoor plumbing and hydronic (hydraulic?) heat. Bailey added a rear addition and possibly a rear porch. The front bay window was added by Bailey so he could watch over his general store at night.
- Circa 1900 - More rooms were added to the rear of the house. Plumbing, heating, and electrical service were all upgraded. Agriculture was no longer a factor and large trees were beginning to fill the landscape.
- Circa 1950 – The house was expanded to 14 rooms, the carriage house was converted in to a two stall motor vehicle garage or service shed. Municipal water service was added. The oil boiler heated the entire home with one zone, and it supplied domestic hot water to the residence. A primitive on site waste water disposal system was installed to cut off the straight pipe plumbing that was probably causing noticeable stress to the nearby stream. The house at 12 Maple Street had become a small nursing home.
- Circa 1970 - A family of 12 lived at 12 Maple Street- a perfect match for this 14 room dormitory style residence.
- 1987 – The owner occupant of the house was transferred to a new job location. A corporate relocation service took ownership of the house. The house was burned while unoccupied as locals fought over the possibility of using the land for parking in support of a proposed regional abortion hospital.
- 1989 – The House was purchased by Dennis G. Unger, P.E. at public auction. Unger demolished one half of the house and used the combustibles to heat the home during the renovation. The seven rooms of the remaining house were stripped down to studs. Thermal pain windows and modern insulation were installed. One of the old chimneys was removed and replace with a modern chimney. One wood burning stove was added to the living room that supplied 50% of the required heat in the home.
- 1990 the horse barn was demolished and replaced with a modern home office and work shop. The new barn was heated with two solid fuel burning stoves. All modern underground utilities were installed.
- 1991 - The old sanitary disposal system was replaced with a modern treatment system.
- 1992 - The original dug well was found and restored for use in irrigation of a home garden.
- 1993 - The second chimney was relined and a second wood stove was added to the home. The home heat was then 75% renewable energy.
- 1995 - The old kitchen was removed from the rear of the house and replaced with a modern kitchen. This renovation included the installation of a concrete floor slab with radiant heating coils. The kitchen floor slab was then run on a second heating zone.
- 1998 – A long term plan to plant fruit trees, gardens, and water collection and irrigation systems was completed. Rain barrels were installed.
- 2000 - Fire wood acquisition was expanded throughout the neighborhood by offering free removal of unwanted trees and windfalls.
- 2001- High speed internet communications network was hard wired in to the home and office.
- 2006 - A massive concrete heat storage slab was added to the living room. Shade trees were carefully trimmed to maximize summer time protection to the house. Air conditioners were removed from the house with the slab maintaining cool temperatures on the hottest of summer days.
- 2007 - An overall plan was implemented to restore the home and office at 12 Maple Street to operate on 100% sustainable energy. An indirect fired hot water heater was installed for domestic hot water.
- 2008 - A solid fuel Boiler and hydronic circulation system were added to combine the heating systems of the home and the detached barn. The wood boiler proved it was able to provide 100% of the heat and domestic hot water to the home, office and work shop. Careful planning and tree cutting was completed to create “clear sky” for the upcoming solar installations.
- January 2009 - A $ 22,500.00 Commonwealth Solar rebate was awarded to Dennis Unger for 12 Maple Street, making it economically feasible to install a 5.3 kW photovoltaic solar array. This PV install is designed to supply all of the electric needs for the home, office, residence, and work shop .
- April 2009 - Thermal Solar panels are scheduled for completion; making it possible to diminish wood burning during the summer months.
- September 2009 - Photo voltaic array is scheduled for completion making it possible to produce more electric power than actually used by the residence contributing excess energy to the electric grid.
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- April 2012 – Possible purchase of an Electric car.
- September 2012 – Possible Wind turbine installed to provide added energy required by the electric car.
- December 2012 – ALL Land and available wind, rain, and sunshine will be carefully managed and groomed to produce food, fuel, and/or comfort. All structures will be carefully managed to provide shelter and comfort using only renewable local resources. AND 12 Maple street will be a demonstration site for sustainable living…
Did we spend 200 years just to get back to where we started? And was it worth it?
Today is January 23, 2009, and it is below freezing outside. My stocking feet are resting on an 85 degree F radiant floor and the temperature inside is comfortable. My hiking boots have been on a warm radiant slab all night long so they will be warm and dry when I put them on to take my Dog for his afternoon walk.
From where I sit right now; It looks like progress to me…
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