My BIL's solar home

Some of you know that my wonderful brother-in-law passed away recently.   Doug was a chemical engineer from Indiana, who went to Rice University and worked in the oil fields in the summer, got a Phd from MIT and was a Fullbright scholar in the Netherlands before going to work for Polaroid.  He was a Rotarian, a loving husband and father, and a wise big brother. But his passion was solar energy and the house that he built in Lexington, Massachusetts was his real life's work. Here's a recent article about it, but the article doesn't do it justice.  The house was beautiful, functional and supremely comfortable and quiet, built facing public recreational lands so you feel like you're in the country, right in the middle of Lexington.  Anyone who lives in the Boston area who is interested in innovative construction, solar heating and green buildings should stop by and see it before it is sold.  I really hope it gets bought by someone who will appreciate it.  

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blog...ergy-house

Sorry for your loss. 

Thanks for sharing his passion with us.

(04-10-2017, 08:59 PM)Mystic Water Wrote: Some of you know that my wonderful brother-in-law passed away recently.   Doug was a chemical engineer from Indiana, who went to Rice University and worked in the oil fields in the summer, got a Phd from MIT and was a Fullbright scholar in the Netherlands before going to work for Polaroid.  He was a Rotarian, a loving husband and father, and a wise big brother. But his passion was solar energy and the house that he built in Lexington, Massachusetts was his real life's work. Here's a recent article about it, but the article doesn't do it justice.  The house was beautiful, functional and supremely comfortable and quiet, built facing public recreational lands so you feel like you're in the country, right in the middle of Lexington.  Anyone who lives in the Boston area who is interested in innovative construction, solar heating and green buildings should stop by and see it before it is sold.  I really hope it gets bought by someone who will appreciate it.  

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blog...ergy-house

A unique home like that should draw an appreciative buyer. Thanks for sharing the article.

His kids both live in Vermont and so they want to sell, but are afraid that someone might buy it for the value of the land and raze it to build a big McMansion, which happens a lot there.  He used to heat the entire house, all through the worst New England winters, on about $250 worth of wood.  The hot water for the whole house is heated in a concealed tank in the central greenhouse and there were no furnace or air conditioner sounds, because they didn't need either one.  No systems to maintain, no solar panels anywhere, just good construction and lots and lots of meticulous planning.

Such a beautiful concept Michelle. Sounds like a nice existence.

He was a scientist to his core, and curious about everything.  His obituary read, in part, "He was born near the summer solstice and died on the winter solstice, and lived a sunny life in between".  So appropriate that his avocation was the promotion of solar energy.

Thanks for the link, Michelle, and it was a very interesting article.

a great read. thank you.  love Hoosiers who do nice things.  sorry for your loss

Sorry for your loss, Michelle.  That was a very interesting article.

Sorry for you loss, Michelle