Our family outing last Sunday brought us to the doorsteps of the Eco-Home at Hawk Ridge in Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood.. The kids were not overly thrilled about the venture, but my husband and I harbor the dream that one day (soon), we will be building our “Eco Dream Home”. Maybe it will be our “Empty-nesters, Eco Dream Home” still several years out, but we can dream, right?
Women in Construction, LLC built this Eco-Home with the intent to use it for a year or more as a demonstration house, a community education tool, if you will. I love that intent. My husband and I were intrigued by the design and systems utilized as well as the building materials. Take along pamphlets on all matters from construction, to systems, to building supplies were readily available for self-edification.
The thought that often enters my mind is why there isn’t a collective “A ha” about how relatively easy it is to make many changes that will help to protect our families and the earth. Technology does exist to retro-fit houses or build new houses that “tread lightly on the earth”. We have technology right now to drive cars that get 60 miles or more to the gallon of gas. I understand that the demand is growing; I only hope that it is growing at a faster rate then the climate change we are now facing.
In Time Magazine’s piece The Last Temptation of Al Gore last week, I came across a quote from Vice President Gore that has imbedded itself in my psyche all week long.
“ There's still time to act—two decades at most, according to the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change—“
Two decades? If that’s true then we cannot wait for Washington to take the lead on solving this issue for us – it’s up to us.
With that in mind, the Women in Construction and their various partners deserve recognition for developing this model, so that the average citizen can take a look at what it takes to build an Eco-House. After visiting this model, anyone can surmise that living in an Eco-House does not mean compromising comfort or style, this is one elegant example of that.
Check out Women in Construction online. The site has a lot of information and visuals regarding this project. After visiting the Web site, I am certain you will be compelled to visit the house itself.
Kat Eldred, MinnesotaPublic Radio Duluth Life Host
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 10
I think we should also mention the architects by name -- Wagner & Zaun. Rachel Wagner helped me assess my house a few years ago. She is keenly interested in making environmentally friendly houses. I have yet to follow-up on her recommendations, but maybe in the next twenty years?
Those of us who have fewer resources, well, we're doing the best we can. I own a home in the Central Hillside. A small home, 980 square feet. I have been working over the years I have owned my home to make it more efficient. New windows, a new roof and insulation, well, heck, whatever I can do to make it better.
Thanks for the tip. You know how an older home always needs something else done. And how hard it can be to find someone reliable to do it!
I am amazed how projects can improve a house. I had a new roof (with insulation) put on two years ago, and it really cut my natural gas consumption. Still chipping away at new windows, etc., but every bit helps.
I have noticed though-even with the amount of natural gas units to heat the house going down, the bill keeps going up! That's a good reason in itself to continue improving insulation and caulking.
Rachel Wagner