Modern design and net zero principles helps a Minnesota couple realize their green home dreams Minnesotans Mark and Kate Hanson believe in efficiency and a better environment, so it makes sense they?d seek out a more sustainable design for their new home. But the new net zero home they moved into this fall, which generates enough energy to power both of their cars, goes beyond what they expected.
?We feel healthier and more comfortable in the house,? says Mark. ?It?s hard to pick my favorite feature.?
Built in Roseville, a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis, their new 2,400-square-foot home boasts a simple, streamlined silhouette, helping it in with the nearby bungalows and ranch-style ramblers in the neighborhood (even with the rows of solar panels on the roof). Nicknamed ?Ohm Sweet Home? by the architect, the Hanson?s new home takes advantage of passive solar principles, geothermal technology, and solar energy production to realize the owner?s goals for self-sufficiency, all in a frame that doesn?t sacrifice aesthetics for efficiency.
?I?m really hoping this becomes more of a standard,? says Marc Sloot of SALA Architects, the project architect. ?We can really use projects like this to design and build more efficient homes and set expectations for homes like this.?
The homeowners didn?t have a particular site in mind when they reached out to Sloot to design their sustainable dream house, which gave the architect the opportunity to find the perfect sp...