ALD MOUNTAIN HOMES, INC.
Solar & Non-Toxic, "An Environmental Partnership"
The Detroit House
This is the house we'll all be building in 50 years. In the foreground you see solar panels and a PV array. The house was built without toxic glues or finishes. We used natural elements throughout like sustainably harvested trim lumber, Forbo linoleum, and wheatstraw board. There is a legal greywater system, shielded wiring, recycled insulation, Auro and Livos natural paints. A heat recovery ventilator brings fresh air in with minimal heat loss in the winter. My wife wants one like it.
A multi-functional greenhouse provides heat in the winter, growing space indoors, and a visually appealing indoor/outdoor space year 'round. The owner uses it in the winter as a double door airlock entryway. Trays of wheatgrass are finishing their growth before being juiced for a powerful tonic.
Photovoltaic power is free energy from the sun. This system is a hybrid between independent power and utility grid power. Either one or both can be used at any given time. If the grid fails, the PV system is capable of handling the whole house, though in winter there is not quite enough sun to go for very long. The key, of course, is efficient appliances and lights.
Radiant floor heating provides comfortable, stable warmth, and accepts any heat input. In this house, we use solar for the primary heat source, and propane as a secondary backup. The tanks in this photo collect and distribute hot water for domestic use (sinks and showers) and for space heating.
