November Wrap Up

With the infrastructure in place for the winter, we turn our attention to the design phase of the project and the various aspects it includes. The week prior to Thanksgiving (by the way, Happy Belated Thanksgiving to All), we had initial design renditions from Don Briggs, Briggs Architecture and Design. Don was putting forth the initial drawings basis the program we submitted for a second time last month. We were pleased with the initial rendition as it both answered questions we had about our initial program design ideas and prompted new aspects we had yet to think about. If anything, the first round of drawings transformed our ideas to paper which brought clarity and change to what we had thought we would like. As a result, we went back to Don with constructive comments on what we liked and what we wished to rework per our new vision. Looking back at the program (see article dated 10/21 'Reshuffled Program') we opted to revamp the basement space, make a small flow change from kitchen to great room, maximize the useable space over the garage, and downsize the observation deck on the 3rd floor. Speaking with Don, we are expecting another round of rough drafts by next week. From there we will continue to tweak the design until we have our final product.



That being said, there is much to work through before this final product materializes. Working very closely with Don Briggs we will be spending the majority of December building a project team whom will work together to start in January in collaborating on this final product. Don Briggs (Architect), Tim & Sarah Southwell (Owners), Structural, Eletrical, Mechanical Engineers, Landscape Architect, Energy rater / Commissioning Agent, LEED AP, and other industry experts will be invited to take part in brainstorming, designing, and ultimately producing a highly efficient, sustainably designed, green built home. The renditions we are working on at present will merely act as a starting point for getting the ball rolling. As we get the initial draft together for the project team and the corresponding charette process to commence in January, I will be posting the initial drawings for all to see so to better appreciate the scope of the project at large.



As always, I appreciate your comments and thank those that have put opinions and suggestions forward towards our green build. Happy holidays and an Abundant Tomorrow to All.



Sincerely, Tim Southwell

Prepared for Jack Frost

This past month we can say that we have successfully designed and installed utilities & septic drain-field aspects of the project. With the continued aid of Jim Albrecht, Iron Wood Construction (406-360-4816), we have seen North Western Energy and Qwest Telephone cables trenched, installed, and back bladed into place for future use. Transformers and pedestals have been placed for utilization at the front entry gate, alongside two drilled wells for water supply, and at the home site for future use by construction efforts and eventual living needs.

On top of this, Jim Heiland, Heiland Excavating (406-363-2357), has been busy working the property to incorporate basic infrastructure needs as well as the septic drain-field. This past week, the septic drain-field was installed adjacent to the home site approximately 300’ away. We chose a location that was burned this past August during the Tin Cup Fires, and which was used as an access for heavy machinery during the suppressing effort. We purchased and installed septic system products by Infiltrator Systems (http://www.infiltratorsystems.com/), as they produce a quality product and incorporate a green awareness in the industry.

Here are some ways Infiltrator Systems and Champion are working to improve the environment in which we live.
• We seek polypropylene, polyethylene (LDPE & HDPE) and materials (parts, purging, regrind, pellets) from the following industries: automotive, building materials, beverage and bottling, food processing, grocery/bakery, and distribution centers.
• ISI products are made of 90% recycled material.
• The post-consumer and post-industrial plastics we purchase keep 65,000 tons from going into a landfill.
• ISI has the ability to process up to 500,000 pounds of plastic daily.
• Champion is the fifth largest purchaser of recycled plastics in the United States.
• Procurement Breakdown
􀂊 32% Post-consumer
􀂊 68% Post-industrial
Quick Facts
• With our unique procurement procedure we visit dump sites to reclaim materials before they are land filled.
• Proprietary processing method allows us to utilize waste streams that are otherwise unusable to other recycling/manufacturing companies.
• Champion was honored as Recycler of the Year by the Carpet America Recovery Effort™ (CARE) in 2006.
• Champion participates in many recycling organizations and associations including the National Recycling Commission, Automotive Body Parts Association, and Automobile Recyclers Association.
• ISI named by ENR Magazine as one of the Top 200 Environmental Firms in 2006 – ranked #48.
• Total Barrels of oil saved by recycling (2005-2007e) = 1.76 million barrels.
• Tons of CO2 reduced by recycling (2005-2007e) = 228,000 tons.


Here are ‘on-location’ pictures of the installed Infiltrator System’s septic products, complete with feeder pipes and individual leaching chambers.

With the numerous traffic we have had over the past few months in fire suppression, water well installation, electric and phone cables installed, as well as septic drain-field install & road rework, it only made good sense to have our main entry road contoured to a smooth, unblemished appearance. At the close of the work performed by Heiland Excavating we had the professional services of J&J Excavating & Trucking (406-961-1511) run a road-grader along 1.7 miles of gravel & dirt roadway to cleanup the access to our property prior to the ground freezing and winter setting in for the next five months. As a result, the road will be in pristine shape when access is needed once again in the spring on next year.

As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday, work on infrastructure development is coming to a close. Colder temperatures combined with snowfall will ultimately shut down physical development of the property until next spring. That being said, the project is set to take off as these dormant winter months will be anything other than a seasonal slumber. By years end we will look to solidify design drawings, register for LEED-H, and formalize the project team who will lead this residential build through to fruition.

Stay tuned as Sarah and I continue to bring you updates along the way. As usual, we invite comments / emails on our progress, as we know you might have ideas worth bringing to the table.

Good health and an Abundant Tomorrow to All.

Tim

Powered by the Sun

Expressing interest to the architect last week that we wish to be 100% fossil fuel independent, it is our goal to look at viable alternitives to operate the home day in and day out. Solar energy is one option we are looking heavily into at the moment. The home site is locate on a ridge line, where terrain drops off steepily to the south. This is a natural place to situate the home for the terrific views to the south, but also the uninterrupted southern exposure for solar gain year-round. We had the opportunity to set up a meeting with Lee Tavenner of Solar Plexus out of Missoula, MT (http://www.solarplexus1.com/) this past weekend. Lee took the opportunity to get a feel for the home site, how the house would be oriented on the site, and what the options were for viable solar array installation either on the home itself or off to the side.

Lee was able to paint a clearer picutre of our solar gain probability by utilizing a Solar Pathfinder (http://www.solarpathfinder.com/) to determine the annual solar hours we could expect at our site. This instrument clearly pictures the surrounding features (mountains, trees, and other potential sun blocks) on a circular face depicting expected sun hours on a monthly basis hour by hour.

Once we are closer to finalizing the actual electrical load of the home, then Lee can better indicate the solar array package necessary to capture 25%, 50%, or 100% of our needs. In the mean time, we will keep Lee advised of our design process and continue to research options for mounting these solar panels. On the roof, on a ground rack, pole, or via actual trackers that follow the sun's path (shown below), these are all options that we need to consider.

Along with the idea of solar energy, we are also taking a close look at wind options, not too mention renewable green energy offered through North Western Energy. It is our belief that a well designed combiantion of several options will enable us to see our goal of fossil fuel independency come true.

Stay tuned as we continue to brain storm, design, and ultimately finalize our project over the coming months.

Good Health and an Abundant Tomorrow to All!

Tim Southwell

Reshuffling the Program

A meeting with the architect, Don Briggs, last week proved that we are still fine tuning how we define our 'dream home'. Continued exposure to design publications and actual walk-throughs of log homes has continued to morph what is it we would like to see in our home once completed. As a result, we resubmitted a program to Briggs Architecture & Design on Oct 12th. The main change in our design goals focused around the living and entertainment areas. Our property sports some fantastic 360 degree views of the Bitterroot Mountains, Tin Cup Drainage and the Bitterroot Valley floor; so why not center on these? Hence, we moved the entertainment area (orignally in the basement)and incorporated it into the observation deck. We are now working towards November 1st for initial design sketches of the home. For the readers' review, the reworked program is as follows:

Type / Look / Feel:
- Three-story with basement
- Passive / Active Solar Design (passive heating and cooling design)
- Cultured Log System Construction
- Sustainable Design
- ‘Grid-tied Solar Array system with backup battery system’
- Energy Efficient Details (Design and Materials)
- Green Building (environmentally friendly building materials)
- Healthy Home (minimize / eliminate indoor toxins – VOC’s)
- Geothermal heating / cooling; heated exterior walks
- Rainwater catchments system / Greywater system
- Cutting edge appliances and technology
- High quality inside and out

Floor Detail:
Ground Floor
Attached three-car garage
Utility / Mud room
Kitchen, Large(spacious with two islands & pantry)
Entertainment / Great Room with Dining
Note: We see kitchen area transcending into the Great Room; perhaps divided by a small sitting area. Dining room located off to side?
Grand Fire Place or Wood stove in / around great room
Entry Foyer
Coat closet
Library / Study / Office (off G-room via wing)
¾ Bath as well as ½ Bath
Elevator
Exterior Decking


Second Floor
Master Bedroom
i. Spacious bedroom, bathroom, and closet(s)
ii. Exterior deck?
Bedrooms #2, #3, & #4
i. Spacious for bed, desk, shelves
ii. Each have independent Full Bath and closet
Recreation Room
i. Open for toys / electronics / puzzles
Elevator


Basement
Mechanical room
Cold storage / wine room
Theatre Room (?)
Guest bedroom w/ exterior walk-out
Guest bedroom (bunks?) w/ exterior walk-out
i. Both Share Full Bath
storage space
Elevator
Possible
exercise room
sauna
dark room / workspace for Sarah’s photos

Observation Deck (3rd floor)
360 views of property and valley
Mini-bar with stools (sink / fridge)
Seating area
Fireplace centered in room
Television viewing / movie watching?
Pool Table / Video Arcade Machine(s)
Skylight for telescope set-up
Exterior decks
Elevator

Outside Entertainment Deck
Built-in Barbeque with fridge & sink
Fire element (pizza oven?)
Ample seating
Jacuzzi?

Progress; Day by Day

The past few weeks has seen continued infrastructure implementation on the property, as we work towards the official ground breaking next spring. Our property manager, Jim Albrecht, has been busy tying together electrical, phone, and well development / installation, as well as overseeing the completion of perimeter fencing along the burned property lines.

Logging efforts were thwarted this fall on our 50 acres of burned timber. Increased timber supply in the market, poor accessibility due to terrain, and little interest in burned timber overall, made contracting a logging outfit most difficult. We are still optimistic about implementing some future operation, but at present it looks like early next year before we see any activity. In an effort to work with the effected area, Jim Albrecht has been busy sawing small diameter logs to work as run-off / erosion control on the steep slopes. He was also working alongside Joe Richard of R&R Fencing (406-369-4155) to recycle the burned timber for use on re-fencing the effected property line. Joe Richard used a large amount of burned timber to reconstruct the 'Block and Log' portion of the fence line (about 1/4 mile in total).

Our property has a beautiful spring which puts out about 1 gallon of water per minute. It is a wildlife attractant and we have no plans to disrupt this natural flow. As we need a water source for the home and are not able to hook up to the local municipality, we contracted the services of Jerome's Drilling (www.jeromesdrilling.com/index.htm). With the help of Randy, Brian and their crew, we were able to drill and install two wells for our use. A 6 gpm well which will be used for the home and immediate grounds, and a 2 gpm well on another part of the property for dedicated use for a future orchard.

This week we will see the conclusion of the utility install on the property. A combination of North Western Energy (www.northwesternenergy.com/) and Qwest Telephone (www.qwest.com/default.html) lines have been run underground along the road from the nearest neighbor to our home site. Both services will be in use once we have situated a construction office at the project site next year. We are excited to report that NW Energy has a Green Power program that will allow us to power the property completely with renewable energy and strip ourselves of the dependency of fossil fuels in this regard. North Western Energy's 'E+ Green' program (http://www.northwesternenergy.com/display.aspx?Page=Green_Power_Intro&Item=91) allows users to pay an additional $2 per month for an equivalent of 100kw hrs produced by a renewable energy source. For a few dollars each month, one can completely offset their power usage with clean burning renewable energy!!

Further infrastructure requirements center around the septic tank / field installation as well as the well-water lines design / installation; All of which will take part later in the year and into 2008.

On the topic of the home, we are busy working with Briggs Architecture to develop the design, register the project for LEED certification, and building our project team to lead us into the New Year. Stay tuned for this developments.

Wishing you Good Health and an Abundant Tomorrow.

Tim Southwell

Wood or Concrete... You Decide?

This past week we had the opportunity to travel back to MT to continue the momentum going into our planned spring 2008 build. The trip was highlighted by taking a tour of the area to view several Cultured Log System homes (http://www.culturedlogs.com/ , contact Rick Shaw 877-257-5647). What is truly remarkable about the CLS homes is they are made of concrete moldings that resemble actual wood construction, but don’t have many of the headaches associated with log construction. Yes, the pictures you are looking at are pre-cast concrete molding, erected on site, then painted & sealed to the owners’ specifications.

Living in a log home for the past 6 years, it was our desire to build a new home that came without the maintenance dollars associated with log homes. CLS offers such an alternative. CLS’s product is variable, in that you can purchase hand-hewn logs, round logs, square log, board and batten style siding, as well as columns, trusses, and other design aspects, not too mention a world of standard and customer colors in both wood and chinking options.

The 8” think concrete wall separated by Styrofoam insulation has an R value of R-19. When framing along the inside wall with 2x4 dimensional lumber and inserting select insulation, you can obtain an R value exceeding R-50!!! The ultimate energy efficient envelop, coupled with zero maintenance (that is right, the logs are guaranteed for 30+ years), translates into immediate energy and maintenance savings.

CLS is also working with additives to their current concrete mixture such as fly ash, a waste product of the coal industry. Not only is the product ultra energy efficient meaning less fossil fuels needed to heat/cool the home, but the product utilizes an element of recycling which prevents unnecessary waste going into our landfills.

CLS has built over 30+ homes in and around the USA. From small cabins to large residences and commercial structures, their product offers a realistic alternative to traditional log / timber-frame structures. Our next step is to merge our design ideas through Briggs Architecture & Design (still in the works) with Cultured Log System’s team to produce the package for install next spring. As always, I will keep everyone abreast of the developments.

Good Health and an Abundant Tomorrow to All!!

Tim

On With the Program

This past Thursday and Friday (Sept. 13/14) I made a trip up to Montana to visit with our architect, Don Briggs of Briggs Architecture & Design, (http://www.briggsarch.com/) to discuss the project as we move forward in the infancy of the design phase.

Don starts off all his new residential projects by requesting the owners to put forth their ideas on how they see the new home, both from an overall sense & feel to a detailed room by room breakdown. Referred to as a ‘program’, Sarah and I completed our work in a timely manner in the first part of September. Again, this trip was to follow-up our ‘program’ submittal and go over various questions Don had to insure both parties were of the same mind moving forward.

For review, our submitted program of September 4th was as follows:

Type / Look / Feel:
- Three-story with basement
- Passive Solar Design (passive heating and cooling design)
- Possible Cultured Log System Construction
- Sustainable Design
- ‘Off-Grid Solar Array energy source’ or ‘Grid-tied Solar Array system with

backup battery system’
- Energy Efficient Details (Design and Materials)
- Green Building (environmentally friendly building materials)
- Healthy Home (minimize / eliminate indoor toxins – VOC’s)
- Geothermal heating / cooling / heated exterior walks
- Rainwater catchment system / Gray-water system
- Cutting edge appliances and technology
- High quality inside and out

Floor Detail:
Ground Floor
Attached three-car garage
Utility / Mud room
Kitchen, Large & Spacious
Entertainment / Great Room
Dining Room
Note: We see kitchen area transcending into the Great Room; perhaps divided by a small sitting area. Dining room located off to side?
Grand Fire Place or Wood stove in / around great room
Entry Foyer
Coat closet
Multipurpose Room
i. Library / Office / Spare Bedroom
¾ Bath as well as ½ Bath
Exterior Decking

Second Floor
Master Bedroom
i. Spacious bedroom, bathroom, and closet(s)
ii. Exterior deck?
Bedrooms #2, #3, & #4
i. Spacious for bed, desk, shelves
ii. Each have independent Full Bath and closet

Recreation Room
i. Open for toys / electronics / puzzles

Basement (daylight basement?)
Mechanical room
Cold storage / wine room
Main Entertainment Room
i. Theatre Quality Movie / Television System
ii. Pool Table / Video Arcade Machine(s)
iii. Mini-bar with stools (sink / fridge)
Pullouts for sleeping (sofa bed / bunks / Murphy?)
Full bath
Wood stove (if daylight basement)

Observation Deck (3rd floor)
360 views of property and valley
Minimal seating area (inside and out?)
Skylight for telescope set-up

Outside Entertainment Deck
Built-in Barbeque with fridge & sink
Fire element (pizza oven?)
Ample seating

In meeting for over two hours, we went through each floor of the ‘program’. We stressed our need for the kitchen and great room to work into one as this is were our family, along with frequent entertainment, seems to congregate the most. We talked about the fire place or stove element and how it ties into the concept of efficient heating under the premise of sustainable design. After concluding with both the upstairs and then the basement, I felt Don had a clear idea of what we were expecting in our living areas and what we are expecting Don to produce on the design side to meet these expectations.

Our meeting concluded the next day with a half-hour visit at the home-site. The previous week, I supplied Don with CAD Drawings care of Shepherd Surveying (Jay Estus 406-821-3895) whereby the immediate site along with surrounding terrain was clearly depicted by one foot interval contour lines including existing trees, boulders, access roads, and far off views. We took this opportunity to walk back and forth in and around the site to capture possible orientation as it pertained to the annual sun cycle as well as protection by the existing 80’+ tall pines. Sarah and I now sit back and await Don’s initial design renditions, while being available anytime to answer/clarify any questions that might arise in the meantime. In the coming month we will work with Don to fine tune designs and start-up the contractor application/interview process.

In the meantime, we are not putting down our need to address necessary property needs. Utility install, Septic permit, Well install along with overall water infrastructure, and initial solar design concepts are being attended to starting next week, with the idea that all will be completed or finalized prior to the snows flying by November first.

Stay tuned for more as the project continues to unfold.

Good health and an Abundant Tomorrow to all!

Tim Southwell

Working with Mother Nature

August presented a new obstacle for us, as area fires raveged land west of Darby, Montana. The Tin Cup fire swallowed up 600 acres of national, federal, and private land. Sadly, 50 acres of our total 160 acres succumbed to the flames. With such a development, we immediately set out to utilize the burn to our advantage.



Almost immediately, we were on the ground doing necessary errosion control and seeding efforts. With the help of Jim Albrecht, Iron Wood Construction (406-360-4816), we spent a week placing strawbales to thwart run-off, falling standing-dead burned small diameter trees to slow soil run-off, and seeding all effected areas with a custom seed mix obtained from Lakeland Seed in Hamilton, Mt.



In the aftermath, we are proceeding with a salvage effort to remove the burned timber to put to good use. Instead of allowing the burned timber to rot out and fall to the ground for future fuels, we will be sending marketable timber to the local lumber company where the raw product can be offered to local citizens as building materials. All small diameter trees will be felled for erosion control as well as used as fence railings & posts as we lost a quarter mile of fencing in the burn.

This development has changed the face of our property, but worked in tune with Mother Nature's plan. As a property owner, you must recognize that the land is not truly yours, but instead you are steward of the land. Knowledge of what is happening and what can happen only enables you to best implement plans to best manage the property for the better of the local fauna, floral, wildlife, and yes us, the land owner.

Tim Southwell
9/04/07

A Home in the Truest Sense of the Word

In July of this year, we (Tim & Sarah) committed ourselves to designing a mountain home in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana, which will proclaim itself as the bookmark for Green Building / Sustainable Dwellings for years to come.



With the professional services of architect Don Briggs, Briggs Architecture (http://www.briggsarch.com/), we are currently moving forward with design renditions to provide the highest level of energy efficiency through Passive Solar design. From there we will work directly with reputable contractors to install an array of Green Building practices.



Dedicated Off-Grid Solar Arrays, Solar Thermal Panels, Geo-Thermal Heating/Cooling, Gray-Water System, Rainwater Catchment System, Environmentally Friendly Building Materials, Non-Toxic Finishes, and Low-Impact Environmental Practices are all a part of the research at the present time. Join us over the coming months as we move closer to the scheduled ground breaking in Spring 2008, and stay up to date with all decisions we make along the way. In the meantime, we invite all your comments / advice, so don't hesitate to send us your ideas.



Good Health and an Abundant Tomorrow to All!



Tim Southwell