HREG || Version 2

John Miggins
Harvest Solar & Wind Power
"renewable solutions to everyday needs"
Phone/Fax: 918-743-2299
Cell: 918-521-6223

INSULATED CONCRETE FORM (ICF) HOUSE
9245 Wickford Drive
Houston, Texas 77024

Directions: This home is located near the Silber and Memorial intersection. Be aware of construction that may affect the Memorial exit. From the Galleria, head north to Memorial. Go west on Memorial. Just before Silber take a right onto Buckingham and then left on Wickford to the end of the street. (Wickford doesn’t go through to Silber).

Brief Description: This unusual custom home is part of the national Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. With a focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy, this house demonstrates state of art building technology, such as ICF (insulated concrete form) exterior walls. A 3kW photovoltaic solar system will provide about 15% of the home’s power. A Solar water heating system will be used in conjunction with tankless water heaters. A 20 SEER air conditioning system is being installed with fresh air intake, dehumidification and the most advanced air filtration system available. The project is still under construction.

Directions: This home is off Ella Blvd. between TC Jester and 11th St. From the Galleria take the 610 Loop North to the TC Jester exit and turn right to Ella. Go right on Ella to Kury Lane.

Brief description: This suburban home has a grid-connected solar PV system on the south roof that produces electricity for the home and puts what is left over on the utility line (can spin the meter backward). The system consists of 24 BP 170 Watt solar panels for a total DC size of 3.8 kW, which produces about 4800 kWh of electricity per year.

Directions: From 59, exit Kirby and proceed north. Just after Richmond turn left onto Colquitt St. Take the second right onto Virgina St. The house will be on the left side. Please park on the right side of the street only.

Brief description: This residence, which is currently under construction, is being built by Dovetail Builders, Inc. with an aggressive pursuit of “Green Building” practices, aspiring to the Platinum level, the highest category achievable under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification criteria.
Green building techniques encompass three overlapping strategies: 1) Protection of the environment, 2) low energy consumption and maintenance, and 3) healthy air quality within the home. The goal of this project is total self-sufficiency by virtue of 150 solar photovoltaic electrical panels generating all the power to meet the home’s entire energy needs, and rainwater harvesting to supply the home’s total household water and landscape irrigation needs. Additionally, four geothermal HVAC systems coupled to the earth employing ten subterranean wells beneath the home replace the outdoor units typically used in ordinary home air conditioning systems.
Combined with the active systems, there are passive strategies and systems working to further reduce energy consumption. These include generous amounts of north-facing glass to capture ambient northern light, large overhangs to shade the south and west facing glass, which further reduces solar heat gain, reflective metal siding, spray foam insulation, a large north-facing screen porch and large door and window openings to allow for natural cross ventilation in the spring and fall. All paint and finishes used will be of low volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), which will produce a healthier indoor air quality.

Directions: From the Galleria, take 610 south to the South Post Oak Rd exit, continue south on Post Oak Rd. Take a left on West Orem Dr. Go right on Hiram Clarke Rd. The house is hidden in the trees about a block down on the right. Parking is available across the street at the R. J. Long Automotive repair shop.

Brief description: This contemporary work/living green home on a budget is laid back, wide open, and very adaptable. The home is currently under construction and is in the qualifying process for LEED-H Certification (Pilot). Green building features include passive survivability and passive solar cooling design with lots of design-assisted natural ventilation, natural day lighting and clean/green finishes. There are no west windows and no attic. A water harvesting system is soon to be added. The roof is designed with enough area for future addition of solar PV panels. The house is being designed and constructed for minimal site disruption with porous driveway and preservation of existing landscaping, and for totally organic gardening and landscaping to come.

Directions from Houston via Seawall Boulevard: From I-45 South, exit 61st St and turn right on 61st. Take that to Seawall Blvd. and turn right again. Turn right (north) onto 89th Street and continue to Stewart Road. Take a left (west) on Stewart Road.
From Stewart Road: When traveling west on Stewart Road, continue until you reach 99th St. and turn right. Go past Schaper Drive and Sydnor Lane. EVIA is located on the left and the main entrance is across from the golf course on 99th Street.

Brief description: “Evia” is the “energy home of tomorrow”. This bungalow-style home offers 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a 2 car garage while utilizing the latest technology – photovoltaic solar panels, ultra-quiet wind turbine, bio-diesel generator, open-cell foam insulation, on-demand hot water system – while appearing like the home you knew as a child! The home features a GridPoint Energy Management System, a 3.8 kW solar PV system, a 1.5 kW Swift Wind Turbine and a 12 kW Bio-diesel back up generator.

Directions: Located close to Cat Spring, west of Sealy, Texas. From Houston it is about a 70 min travel time. Go west on I-10, then take exit 720 at Sealy Texas, go north on 36, then shortly go west on 1094 towards New Ulm. After 1094 crosses 949 take the first right, that will bel Hall Road. Then after a few hundred yards take another right at Sycamore Road. Keep going for about 4 Miles (2 miles hard top, 2 miles dirt road) until the road dead ends and you see the big sign on the left that says Animal Farm. Be careful driving and don't hit any of the animals that may be mosing around the road. There is a parking lot right at the gate to Animal Farm. Park there and enter the site on foot.

Brief description: This is a 65 acre property with two streams going through it and lots of permaculture examples. The learning center is a large structure of wood (from this land) and cob (made from the land's clay). Most of the materials on the Learning Center are reused and recycled materials except the thatch roof. Adjacent to the house are a few large vegetable market gardens with fruit trees. Examples of chicken tractors, and other permaculture concepts/ideas/elements are sprinkled throughout.
The main house is completely off-the-grid, obtaining its electricity from Solar Panels only. The PV System consists of 20 panels of 50 watt each, and a 1500 AH Battery Bank. A 4KW Inverter supplies 120 VAC for all loads except the Sunfrost refrigerator which runs directly on 24 VDC Battery Power. The Water well has its own PV System, consisting of a 48 V Array of 50/75 watt panels, supplying a 9GPM Solar Jack water pump. Sixteen 6V/205 AH batteries provide backup power for water use during the night.

Directions: At the southwest corner of 610 exit at Stella Link. Go south down Stella Link. Turn left on Link Valley Drive (right at the gas station). Link Valley Drive will end at Timberside, turn right on to Timberside. The school is at the end of the street. Park in the parking lot, or parallel park on the right half of the curved drive.

Brief description: St. Catherine’s Montessori School is Houston’s first LEED certified school, built with new green building guidelines. To reduce the impact of construction on storm water, St. Catherine’s made sure there was no more runoff after construction than before and eliminated 80% of suspended solids and 40% of phosphorous from the water passed into the city’s storm sewer. Native plants were used in landscaping, which cut irrigation water use in half. More than 10% of the materials used in construction were made from recycled materials and many others were manufactured locally. Now that St. Catherine’s is operational, it uses electricity purchased from renewable energy sources and the students recycle plastic and paper and learn about the benefits of “building green”.
Several displays about renewable energy will be present at this location.

Directions:Go south on Hwy 288 (about 30 miles south of downtown Houston), pass through Pearland, and cross Hwy 6; continue about 8 miles south of Hwy 6 and exit Route 1462 – Rosharon. Turn right on 1462, go straight through traffic light (about 2.5 miles from 288) and continue on 1462 about 2.5 miles to Tankersley Dr. (church on right). Go left on Tankersley about ½ mile. The house is on the southeast corner of Tankersley Dr and Horsetrail Dr.

Brief description:This recently completed home is part of the national Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes Pilot program. It includes Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) for exterior walls and roof, finger jointed studs, engineered beams for interior framing, passive solar design, energy efficient appliances, water efficient fixtures, and recycled architectural elements. The roof is energy star rated “Cool Roof”.
A solar water heating system is augmented with tank-less back up. All propane water heaters are external (no fumes in the house). A rainwater collection system with two tanks with 2500 gallon capacity will be used for all non potable requirements, with excess water channeled to the existing pond. All interior paint and floor finishes are water based and contains no voc (volatile organic compounds). Countertops and interior doors were reused from houses that were demolished. Stained concrete, locally harvested wood and quickly renewable bamboo were also used as construction materials.
Bonus Feature: Solar Fair at this Location!
A picnic dinner and special display of renewable technologies will occur at this residence after the tour from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Displays will include solar ovens, solar model cars, and different types of solar panels. Come meet others interested in renewable energy. Food and drinks will be on sale. You may bring your own, but no alcohol, please.