THE REFRIGERATOR RUNS ON LESS ELECTRICITY a year than a 100-watt light bulb. The water that flushes the toilets and irrigates the yard comes from an underground cistern that collects rain water and snow melt from the roof. Filters in the furnace keep out the dust and cut the pollen count. Some of the walls in the garage went up in half a day, with volunteer labor. Their concrete-reinforced polystyrene blocks were as easy to assemble as Legos.
New houses are going up all over the Wasatch Front, but this house is different. It was created at the grassroots by people who envisioned an earth-friendly demonstration house that saves energy, water and money and thatis good for your health.
The Utah House at Utah State's Botanical Center in Kaysville, Utah, will open to the public soon, demonstrating the latest in energy efficiency. With its solar panels and other sustainable features, the house not only uses half the energy of similarly sized homes, it generates some of its own electricity. Water consumption has been slashed by almost as much.
Says director
Leona Hawks of Utah State Extension and the College of Natural Resources:
"This demonstration house is timely and important, given our extended
drought, the recent energy shortage and our ongoing budget crisis. The
Utah House will help us learn how to build homes and create landscapes
that save precious resources for future generations. And homeowners will
save money on utility bills."
To the north are the rehabilitated ponds and recently dedicated visitor's
pavilion and nature trails of Utah State's relocated Utah Botanical Center.
To the west is I-15. The sand-colored stucco exterior of the Utah House
and its newly planted landscaping provide a desert oasis of tranquility
amid urban congestion.
The landscaping mimics Mother Nature with plants grouped according to comparable water needs. Hearty Utah natives are especially well-represented in artistic arrangements of pinon pines and rubber rabbitbrush and purple coneflowers. Landscape coordinator Anne Palo didn't sacrifice the popular golf course look; patches of Kentucky bluegrass are woven into the wettest zone. Deciduous trees on the south and west side of the house will shade it in summer and let in solar power in winter.
Skylight tubes and other openings in the roof of the house light the interior from above so artificial lights don't have to be turned on during the day. Sage green and violet walls in a variety of shades and textures are complemented by chocolate brown furniture and carpets manufactured from recycled materials. "Home is where the heart of the family resides today. The family room has become the entertainment center, the kitchen the social center," explains Hawks, who teaches in the College of Natural Resources environment and society department.
The Utah
House surpasses the intention of the Americans with Disabilities Act,
extending the welcome mat to all ages and abilities. There isn't an obstacle
in the entire house. Even the appliances and cabinets can be reached by
wheelchair.
The garage is detached to protect home occupants from carbon monoxide
fumes. You won't find any parked cars, though. "The garage is our
teaching center," says Hawks. "We're offering classes in everything
from Dream Kitchen Design to Healthy Building Materials." And stacks
of reference materials are on display in the hallway between the front
door and the kitchen.
The Utah
House cost about $500,000 to build, decorate and landscape. "If you
wanted to build a house like this, it would cost a lot less," says
Hawks. "You wouldn't have to pay for all the infrastructure that
must go into a public building."
The house was built by Big-D Construction and with a combination of university,
government, private and corporate funding. Volunteers contributed labor,
and local businesses donated materials, appliances and furnishings.
The house is as smart as it is environmentally conscious. You can program the lights, the temperature and security systems from one computerized panel. One night the control system malfunctioned. "All the lights went on, and when I walked in the next morning, it looked like the house was having a good time without us," says Hawks. The bugs were worked out well in advance of February's dedication.
Unused electricity
generated from within the house can be sold back to Utah's public utility
company. That's not the only measure on behalf of financial self-sufficiency.
Fees from self-guided tours and rentals will also help cover costs. The
Florida House, which inspired the Utah House, hosted 45,000 visitors its
first two years of business.
Martha Stewart, you better make your plane reservation before public schools
let out in June. -Jane Koerner
More information and directions @ extension.usu.edu/utahhouse