Innovative Eco-Friendly Design
In Susan Klinker’s backyard stands a remarkable two-story house, embodying eco-friendly design. Bathed in natural light, the home maintains a cool ambiance even during scorching summer days. Klinker meticulously designed the 650-square-foot dwelling using passive solar principles to minimize energy consumption.
The cottage is a testament to Klinker’s vision of integrating seasonal light patterns. During the summer solstice, not a single ray enters the space, while in winter, the lower sun hits the concrete floor, radiating warmth at night. This subtle feature enhances the home’s sustainability.
Since the new guidelines were adopted, the city has approved over 70 ADU permits, but Klinker’s project aims to be more than just another rental. Renting for $2,100 a month, the cottage serves as a prototype for environmentally conscious construction, battling climate change.
From reclaimed barn wood ceilings to a mini split heat pump, the home’s walls are insulated with chopped straw, a building technique endorsed by the American Institute of Architects for its lower carbon footprint than traditional materials.
Air Quality and Heating Efficiency
Homes contribute significantly to air pollution through nitrogen oxide emissions. Klinker’s straw house addresses this by utilizing an efficient mini split and having extra thick walls with triple-glazed windows for superior insulation.
The dwelling includes rooftop solar panels and an electric vehicle charger for Klinker’s hybrid car, enhancing its eco-friendly profile. As emissions from vehicles and industries decrease, residential sources are becoming more prominent, according to Glade Sowards from the Utah Division of Air Quality.
Most home pollution comes from natural gas combustion, but some also arises from wood stoves and fireplaces, necessitating no-burn days in winter. Residential homes account for about 4.1% of Utah’s nitrogen oxide emissions, peaking in winter.
Sowards suggests that adopting passive solar or heat pumps and using more efficient furnaces and ultra-low NOx water heaters can significantly reduce residential emissions.
Reducing Carbon Footprint
Klinker’s cottage features small windows revealing straw-filled walls, chosen for their low environmental impact and carbon storage capability. Studies show replacing high-carbon materials with low-carbon ones like straw can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from home construction by nearly 40%.
The straw building method is gaining popularity. Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia’s founder, built a 2,200-square-foot straw bale home in Ventura County, California, highlighting the material’s potential for carbon capture.
Klinker also utilized other natural materials, such as rice hulls for the bathroom ceiling, which are naturally antimicrobial and waterproof. She sourced beams for the lofted bedroom from a friend’s barn and crafted the kitchen island from reclaimed wood.
She believes in a hybrid approach where traditional natural building methods and high-tech construction cross-inform each other, creating a healthier environment for both humans and the planet.
Addressing Housing Needs
The eco-friendly space, with its tall ceilings and lofted bedroom, has been easy to rent out. Additional storage is cleverly hidden behind a “Murphy bookshelf,” utilized by the tenant for outdoor gear.
Klinker, an empty-nester working full-time at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, is considering moving into the ADU herself and renting out her larger home once her children are independent. She loves how the project has turned out.
She views her straw construction project as the onset of a renaissance in eco-friendly building. This method, she believes, could be beneficial for the environment, human health, and the economy.
In her words, “The ways we’re building now are so unhealthy and toxic for the environment. There needs to be a hybrid approach where traditional building methods inform high-tech solutions.”
savannahdestiny9
Love the idea of using reclaimed materials! Can you post more pics of the interior?
cleojade5
Great concept, but isn’t $2,100 per month a bit steep for rent?
Serenity
Does the straw house meet all the building codes in Salt Lake City?
ElizabethAurora
Looks interesting, but what about pests like insects or rodents? How do you deal with them?
elijah8
This is such an innovative idea! Thanks for sharing. 😊
serenity_whisperer
I’m curious, how does the cost of building with straw compare to traditional materials?
Michael_Mirage1
Wow, this is incredible! How long did it take to complete the construction?