Leavenworth’s Linda Johnson talks about her all-green home.
You’re building an all-green home in Leavenworth. Why did you and your husband decide to undertake this venture? We have a good friend from the Peace Corps, more than 40 years ago, who has spent his life designing and building passive solar homes. We have long planned to ask him to design/build one for us. And, with the future of energy costs in this country, and with us living on a retirement income, it makes economic sense, as well.
What sort of energy-saving features will be included in the house? First, it is spray-foam insulated from roof to foundation. There are ceiling fans in every room. The passive solar will provide much of the heating; in addition, we have radiant floor heating in the cement-floor basement; a wood stove; and a heat pump. We have sun tunnels in 4 rooms that will allow us to avoid turning on the lights during the daytime. We wanted to use a gray-water system, but the city doesn’t yet have the experience to approve that. We are using the most efficient appliances we could find, and, of course, I’ll use a clothes line. We’ll use a few solar panels, and hope to add more later.
How will the low-impact-on-the-environment features and the lifetime living features work? We have a nearly white roof that will not absorb as much solar heat, thus not heating the environment as much. We will be collecting rain water, and using it in a water stream in the front of the house, and watering our garden from it. All of the outlets are at 18 inches from the floor. Every room, including the kitchen, bathroom and showers, allows easy wheelchair access. There are no carpets. The switches are the flat ones that don’t require finger dexterity. And, if a caregiver becomes necessary, the basement is set up to allow someone to live there, privately.
How will the new house help you attain your goals of living low maintenance? It won’t be necessary to vacuum much. The exterior is cement siding, with no wood trim around the many windows to be maintained. There are no shower doors or curtains to keep clean. Since the house has an internal air-exchange system, there shouldn’t be much dust.
How can people affordably implement changes in their lives that will help them live cheaper, and help the environment at the same time? Don’t buy so much – don’t buy excess food and never throw away leftovers. If you need clothing, go to a thrift store. Drive less, use a bicycle, or get a small scooter. Use energy-efficient cars. I love using a rain barrel, especially to water houseplants. We raise our own seasonal vegetables, using compost from table scraps, vegetable peelings, etc. Recycle everything you can. Kansas should be investing deeply and quickly in wind energy – we have this huge natural resource that the world needs, and we’re just not doing much with it – and solar as well.
– Rimsie McConiga
