Sun Mountain Research Center: SunHouse
SunHouse Interior, Waterfalls, Exterior NE Corner
By Maia Ballis
In 1983 green building was in its infancy, but we realized: CONSERVATION = LOW ENERGY NEEDS.
So we designed using the best affordable, low-tech, green building materials and passive solar & energy conservation systems available. We were cutting edge pioneers, but over time technologies changed, parts wore out and have been replaced…. we were and remain experimental.
SOLAR ELECTRIC: We got the first solar electric system accepted by the tough Fresno Building Dept. After 25 years, the system was less efficient and has now been replaced. Because we designed the electrical system to be run through hollows in 2×4’s & 4×4’s, accessing electrical for repairs is easy.
COOL ROOF: A cool roof is one that has been designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof. Cool roofs can be made of a highly reflective type of paint, a sheet covering, or highly reflective tiles or shingles. We used 2 layers of R-35 rigid insulation board on the shed style roof. Because light colors are the most reflective, in 2006 our white metal industrial roofing was coated with Cool Roof elastomeric arctic white for protection from fire and lightning while saving energy. Cool roofs are white. Berkeley Lab research has demonstrated that raising the solar reflectance of a roof from about 20% (dark gray) to about 55% (weathered white) can reduce cooling energy use by 20% while dark colors absorb 70-90% of solar heat. We used several roof color samples in a touch test for visitors to feel the differences for themselves.
SKYLIGHTS: The custom skylights in the roof used dual glazed greenhouse plexiglass to flood the center of the upper story with natural light.
ENERGY CONSERVATION WINDOWS & DOORS: the dual glazed Pella windows & insulated metal doors are oriented to open out to catch prevailing wind for natural cooling. Maia designed insulated decorative door coverings attached by magnets to the metal exterior french doors to control temperature & light as needed. She made insulated window coverings for private spaces that folded up above the windows.
SunHouse Contributions;
DESIGNERS & PROJECT SUPERVISORS: George & Maia Ballis,
BUILDING MATERIALS: Frontier Homes furnished finished plans & wood
SOLAR ELECTRICAL: Off-Line Solar, Don Loweburg
CONSTRUCTION CREW: Phil Green & John Emerson Contractors, Jem Bluestein, finish carpenter; with Loren Leach, John Ballis, George & Maia Ballis, Allison Switzer & Allan Eberhart, helpers.
Straw Bale Project
In 1988 Steve & Nena Macdonald built their straw bale home in New Mexico. Their efforts marked the beginning of a revival of the straw bale building system, begun in the 1890’s in the U.S.
Benefits of Straw Bale Building:
super insulating R-50 walls (triple standard R values)
earthquake resistant
fire resistant
sound absorbing
recycles a waste product
reduces air pollution from burning the straw
non-toxic building material
reduces wood use and pressure on ancient forests
uses bioregional materials
simple wall construction & maintenance
makes beautiful buildings
George & Maia were impressed with the sound & climate protection of entering a demo straw bale building in Berkeley; so George did a weekend workshop. They were Impressed by the idea of turning ag waste into farm income from producing a green building material that also prevented air pollution from seasonal burning. Owner-builder projects were showing up in the Southwest & California, and the attraction of low tech, lower cost green construction was too exciting to ignore.
After participating in building a super-insulated bale structure in a weekend, he got straw bale fever. They began intensive research on feasibility of the old plains style construction for SunMt. Pro bono help came from Arthur Dyson, a local world class architect, and structural engineer Gere Mele, on an 800 sq. ft. design adjacent the SunHouse with Daniel Smith & Associates (DSA) of Berkeley, CA.
After a decade of research, planning & fundraising, they had the funds they originally needed to build. But in 2006 before getting Department final approval, the cost of materials went up. Not being able to afford the increase, plans were first tabled, and then abandoned. The big cost was for roofing for the big overhang over the thick walls, critical to the structure lasting 100 yrs. Dyson later used a straw bale north wall in his shelter design for Dakota Eco Village project in Fresno: https://ecovillagefresno.org/dakotaecogarden/
Dyson Architects: https://www.arthurdyson.com
Our plans were donated to the United Farm Workers for possible use for their membership in self-help housing, and funds went to maintenance & repairs on the SunHouse.
