Inc.
WHERE KNOWLEDGE EQUALS POWER INDEPENDENCE
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Please be considerate of the
host of these homes. If the weather is inclement or the conditions are wet or
muddy please remove your shoes before entering the homes. I want to extend
thanks to all the host for taking time out of their busy lives and opening up
their homes to the public. Bill and Barb Castle Key Features: This beautiful retreat is a great example of how one family has brought tourism, sustainability and the environment together to offer an escape from the noise of civilization. Their example of old-school craftsmanship and independent living makes the most of solar electricity, a compost recycling system, organic gardening and gravity fed spring water. Small scale solar electric equipment but still a great place to visit. Directions: From the 390 expressway exit on to the Southern Tier Expressway to Exit 32 West Almond Exit. At the end of the ramp you come to a "T". Head down the hill and take a direct left after the blue metal building onto the gravel road. You will see the clearly marked sign for SOUTH ROAD/Pollywogg Hollër. Take this gravel road approximately 2 ½ miles. As you descend the backside of the hill you will see the Pollywogg Hollër office on the left (a one story ranch-style house) set back 100 ft. Pull in the driveway, you have made it to Pollywogg Hollër - or - continue 100 yards to a small lot on the right, leave your car here, and follow the trails through the woods to the main lodge. Tim and Jane Cochran Key
Features:
Daylighting, Off-Grid Photovoltaics, Radiant Floor Heating, Solar
Domestic Hot Water, Post and Beam timber frame with Strawbale Construction,
Bergey wind turbine & controller, Siemens PV, Trace
inverter/disconnect/transformer/PV controller, Rolls batteries. Heliodyne heat
exchanger kit, unknown surplus solar hot water panels. Sears front loading
washer. Maytag energy star refrigerator. Suntube skylight. Key Features: A highly successful 1970's vintage solar hot water system is on display near Rochester, NY. This provides domestic hot water heating for a family of four. It is still in operation with a unique controller customized for operation in cold climates. It is estimated to save about $250 - $300 in annual hot water heating costs. If solar hot water is your passion this is a must see! Directions: From the intersections of Rt. 441 (Penfield, Rd.) and Rt. 250 drive North on Rt. 250 to Whalen Rd, turn left. Continue to Jackson Rd. Extension, turn right. Next right is Woodlyn Way
James and Nancy Jameson Key Features: An off-grid home that incorporates both solar and wind energy. 1400 watts of solar and a 400 watt wind generator, both at 24 volts DC. Directions: From the center of Penn Yan, take route 364 west to County House Road. Go about 4 miles to Adams Road which is on the right. Go to the stop sign and go 1 mile past the stop sign to 3450 Adams Road. Bill
and Sue LaBine Key
Features: An excellent example of how a beautiful 100 year old Victorian
home can be transformed into an energy efficient, up to date home. Just
completed is a recently added super efficient 24'x24' family room so you will be
able to see some of the best in renovation and new construction. Other
outstanding features include "stealth" passive solar design, double
wall/staggered stud construction, super-windows with window quilts, composting
toilet, endless-shower heat exchanger Directions: From I-390 (about 10 mile south of Rochester) take Routes 5 & 20 west to Avon’s traffic circle (about 2.5 miles). Go south at the traffic circle (a “left” if you will) onto Genesee Street. Our (yellow) house is on the left (east) side of the street about .5 miles from the traffic circle. Some stair climbing required.
Shawn & Lori Lassord Key Features: Our home has had many renewable energy improvements over the past several years. Such improvements have included a 1Kw Solar Grid Connected System that spins our electric meter backwards! Air-X wind turbine in a residential development that feeds off-grid appliances, Cansolair Solar heater, Takagi on demand hot water heater, over 50 energy saving lights, Energy Star Refrigerator, Solar Doorbell, Solar Barbie jeep for the kids, and even Solar shed lighting! Directions: From the 490 west expressway exit on to RT531 West. Continue till the end, which will be Washington Street where you will make a right hand turn. You will then take and immediate left on Route 31. Follow RT 31 west until you get to Route 260 (Sweden Walker Road) where you will turn right (north). Follow RT 260 until you come to RT104. Then turn left (West) on Route 104 for about 2 miles. (If you get to RT19 you have gone to far) You will see a John Deere dealer on left, shortly after that you will see Sherwood Drive on you left. Turn on to Sherwood and go to the stop sign.You will then take another left on to Valleyview Drive and we are # 73 which is the fourth home on the left hand side.
Wayne and Mary
Hayes-O'Brien Key Features: A 1,600 sqft. post and beam home located at the base of a glacial hollow in the midst of 2,000 acres of woods. The home features plenty of natural lighting, radiant floor heating, Vermont Castings wood stove and a gravity fed water system. Instead of the traditional solar panels this house incorporates them in the roof via solar shingles. There are 120 solar shingles, which are wired into four arrays each supplying 24 vdc to a charge controller. The charge controller then feeds a Xantrex inverter. To stay in touch with the outside world this home uses a cell phone system with an internet satellite communication system.
Directions: From
Watkins Glen, take Route 79 E toward Ithaca. First small town is Burdett. Follow
79E to Bennettsburg (which is the next small town) with a speed zone. In the
speed zone look for Texas Hollow on your right (only way you can turn). We are
approximately 3 miles from that intersection. Follow Texas Hollow past the Texas
Hollow wildlife sanctuary (DEC). Look for a small red cabin on your left with a
rock wall up by the road. We are approximately 1 mile from that cabin also on
the left. At the end of our driveway you will see the back of a white weight
limit sign. On a tree near the sign are our fire numbers - 3250. The posted
signs on the driveway say Hayes and O'Brien. Go up the driveway ~ 1/4 mile to
our house. Ann
Lombardi Key Features: An excellent example of “Off-Grid” living on a budget. This is a log home kit still in the progress of being built. However, the unique thing of this home is all the Renewable Energy equipment is located outside the home. This system is power by PV panels and a backup propane fired generator. This system is designed to grow as your budget allows. Directions: Located in Colden NY. From the town of East Aurora on Route 20 turn south on Center Street and continue about 10 to 15 miles till it “T’s” into Crump Road. Turn right and on the right about a ½ mile is the stone driveway entrance. Crump Road is almost directly across from the entrance of Kissing Bridge ski resort if you come from Route 240.
Chris Schaefer’s Solar &
Wind FX Design and Training Center
Marietta Cutrone and Doug Stockman Key Features: Single dwelling home on nine acres that combines passive solar design, superinsulation, energy conserving appliances, efficient lighting, 3 kW wind turbine, 1.2 kW PV, evacuated tube solar water heater and a solar heated and powered in-ground pool.
Directions:
From the West: Take 104
east to Phillips Road exit. Take right on to Phillips Road. It ends at State
Road. Turn left on to State Road and a fast right on to Frawley Road. Last house
on the street. Dave
and Cheryl Tierson Key Features: A newly built 5000 sqft passive solar home which is completely “Off-Grid”. Note the utility high tension lines at the back of the property. A great example of how a family of four can have all the conveniences of a utility powered home with out the monthly bill. 2.64Kw of PV with a backup propane fired generator and batteries use to store the access energy. Directions: As you come from Rochester and arrive in the village of Naples, continue south on Route 21 and as you leave the village follow Route 53 south. Just about a mile past the intersection of Route 21 and 53 on the left hand side you will see Pressler Road. Go to the end and turn right on to the stone drive and go to the end and you will see the home. Ray
Wager Key
Features: A wonderful example of just how small a PV and wind system can
be to run a year round off-grid home.
The RE system consists of 14
photovoltaic panels-900 watts total, mounted on 4" steel pipe frame that can be
turned on a horizontal axis to maximize solar rays as the seasons change. A
Trace U2512 inverter
converts the 10 deep cycle lead acid batteries to AC power for the home. The
refrigerator is operated directly from the 12 VDC battery bank. A gas generator
backup; 600 Watt Whisper Wind Generator on a 50' tower. The home consist of
stress-skin panels, Low E Glass & energy efficient fluorescent bulbs through
out. Instant hot water heater (tankless), and direct bent wall furnace, both
propane. Wood stove in basement. Not to mention the beautiful views. |
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