A New Year

Still Here


If you look at the date of previous post, then look at the date of this, you'd be justified if you concluded that this is NOT a seamless posting of the musings of one Scott Larson.  I mean, I could have traveled to Thailand and back between these two posts.  Let's face it, the shine has worn off of this blogging thing.  I still like it, however, and a conversation with my sister in law Kari last night motivated me to sit down and do something about it.  It's not like I haven't been saving photos for the next posting - it's just a matter of sitting in front of the computer for a while.  This, as some of you may know, is a task I usually put at the bottom of my daily list of "things to do".  It helps to have network connection, which I normally do not.  Amy and I don't have cable, a cell phone (other than my school phone), internet, netflix or even TeeVee reception.  We don't facebook or tweet or text.  This - my friends - is it as far as 21st century withitness goes for me.  So, I'll do my part and craft something enjoyable.  Hopefully.

I started another blog in fact.  In keeping with the latest character of this blog, I am only posting to this new blog rarely.  The purpose for said blog is to have a place to post information about my building program, for those in the community who may be interested.  Although not complete, you can look at it if you like.  I plan on adding more video (I am currently making a 3 part series titled This New House, which involves my students and me talking about what makes a house green - each episode will be about 1 minute long and will air at the high schools, as well as posted on my YouTube channel, where last years video is currently residing) and a link to the Forest Products Commission when they do a promised highlight of me.  I am building this house out of all Idaho lumber.  http://studentbuilt.blogspot.com/

Technical Details

Since I'm on the subject, consider indulging me a minute longer while I fill you in on the current house project.  It's really going to be something unique.  Last year's house was awarded a LEED Gold certification- achieved through a combination of energy and water effeciency and finish materials selection.  This year I hope to get a Platinum rating, the highest, through energy effeciency, mainly, as well as good materials and minimizing waste.  I am building a double wall, something new to me.  New to alot of people in fact.  There are not too many of them around.  In short, a double wall allows us to put more insulation in the walls, and creates a "thermal break" that further reduces heat transfer.  It's bomber.  Plus, we stuffed it full of an air tight foam insulator, not fiberglass or cellulose.  We'll have an ultra effecient heat pump in place of a furnace, and a new "hybrid" water heater that is the most effecient choice going.  I got "raised heel" trusses (see photo) that allow us to stuff more insulation in the attic.  My goal is to rate this house as 70% more efficient than code requirements.  If you can build to 100% more efficient than code, you have a "net-zero" house that uses no net energy over the course of a year.  There are only 2 of those in the state.  For those of you interested in learning more about quantifying efficiency, do some research on HERS ratings, or ask me. 
  Raised heel trusses

Double walls

Day one

  Day 90

Personal Projects

I think its fair to share with you all what exactly has distracted me away from my blog responsibilities.  (I might add that my attention has also largely been distractd from my hiking/dog responsibilities too.  I am not hiking nearly as much as I have, much to Fennel's dismay)  The first photo is of two of the three gates I made this fall.  They are a traditional English five bar gate.  Made from cypress and set on massive hinges.  I plan on making a facing pair, set into stone gateposts, someday soon.  I have to make the gateposts first.  The other two photos are of my new workbench.  I started this in the fall and finished just after Christmas.  Over break, I'd wake, eat and trundle off to the shop, only to emerge for food at the end of the day.  I've been having a blast making this.  It's solid maple and based on a plan from Fine Woodworking know as the Ultimate Workbench, with a few variations.  Having a workbench has changed everything - no longer am I confined to one handed carpentry or frustratingly jury rigged nonsense. 

The Future

As for what's next?  Trying desperately to hang on to my job (no need to go into detail here), building bookcases for the house, and living with the engine behind "the Year of Idaho Food".  Check out their website - http://www.nwfoodnews.com/about-the-year-of-idaho-food/
It's really something.  I am committed to orgaining a food event in July - a Sierra Club/Backcounty Sportsmen sponsored sun oven/dutch oven cookoff with local food and game.  It should be alot of fun.  Speaking of Amy, I thought I'd share a photo I did not take, but is so cute it deserves to be posted here.

Amy

I am signed up for a 3 day masonry oven bread making class in Quilasucut Washington, June 18th.  I'm scheduled to hike the next leg of the Idaho Centennial Trail in July- this time way up north and along the Montana/Idaho divide.  6 Days.  I have federal jury duty in Februrary.  I'm on call for a month.  I hope all is well with you.  Off to the woodshop!

Scott

Independence

Bayview, Maine

Five Acres and Independence

So, so much has happened. I mean it. Since I last posted to this thing, all the snow in the state has melted, the rivers rose and have started to fall again. It’s time to go fishing. I hear the silent fir groves calling. Before that can happen, however, Amy and I have a bit a work to do. For those of you who don’t know, we bought a farm – Springhill. It’s one of the largest parcels left in Boise and we feel fortunate to have arranged everything so that we could purchase it. It was an involved process which took a month or two of concentrated effort. All of that effort, of course, came exactly at the end of school and the open house I held for the LEED house. Throw in cleaning and listing our house, moving, and a vacation to Maine and you start to see our spring. It’s only now that I have an opportunity to write anything.

I’m looking forward to a couple nights out in the Bear Meadows area, a couple nights fishing on the Salmon River, and a couple nights with Amy camping near the Frank Church Wilderness. We’re planning an open house party in honor of Wendy, Jeremy and Isa, who will be returning from Alaska, on August 28th.


5205 West Hill Road Boise, Idaho, 83703

Our new home

What we have here is an acre and a half of weeds with a house, shed, and shop. The weeds are slowly exerting their power, forcing me to deal with them while I tend to fencing, moving in, setting up the shop, getting an irrigation system installed, and continually looking for our stuff, packed in boxes. Let me give you a record of yesterday and you might see how my life has changed. I talked with the irrigation contractor about the delivery of 600’ of pipe, pruned another 15’ of brush, (only about 50’ more to go) fired up and learned the levers and knobs of the riding mower we inherited (after replacing a tire and sharpening the blades) and mowed the 18” grass in the front. I met Alex to move the table saw, sketched up some ideas for a front gate, wrote a card to Mom, and put metal fencing over a rail fence gate so the dogs can no longer get under it. Today I need to build benches and shelves for the shop so I can get my stuff off of the floor.

The house is pretty nice. It was originally built in the 1800’s but has been remodeled a lot and is completely modern inside. We need a little more pantry space and bike storage, and I need to move two outlets in the kitchen, but we don’t have to worry much about changing the house. The yard is another matter. We are trying to get a new irrigation system installed and will plant the bottom half in cover crop for a year or two to build the soil. It’s been farmed before and needs some rest.

LEED Gold

First in the nation

I finished the school house and got the final score of Gold, much higher that I anticipated. It’s ready to go on the market. I have next year’s plans ready and am trying for Platinum, the highest level, next year. It means a bit more work for me. I plan on installing a solar hot water and efficient plumbing system. If I can get Platinum, I’d like to try to go beyond that the following year by trying something really advanced. The biggest differences would probably be in insulation, photovoltaics, and landscaping, while fitting it into a subdivision.
I finished my Sustainable Building Advisor program and need to take the exam this summer to become certified. It was a good experience. I’ve become pretty versant in subjects such as energy efficiency, water use and re-use, indoor air quality, integrated design, green building materials, neighborhood design, passive solar and lighting, and others.

Let me leave with a few photos from our family vacation in Maine. The little girl is my niece Addie. The white house is Amy’s idea of a nice place (and it was too – right on the water). Our cottage was right on the water as well, and the weather was wonderful. Maine is a pretty cool place.