Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w. d i s t i n c t ly m o n ta n a . c o m 83 telligently utilized spaces. The world is fast getting hip to the versatility of small, green, and free-standing structures such as these, and Montana's not far behind. Even in vast Big Sky country, structures like the Nano house offer myriad benefits. As Paul points out, "The free-standing aspect of the studio or house or office adds privacy and is simpler than attaching an addition to an existing home." And since he only uses a wood stove and about 20 amps of electricity, it's beyond green. As I inspect the rustic landscap- ing he's put around the spot, it seems even the decorations are green, made from the bottom halves of reclaimed and literally green-tinted glass bottles. For Paul, and the many pioneers of sustainable housing in Montana, the available building materials now include things that would have boggled the imaginations of early Montan- ans. Such as SIPS or structural insulating panels, out of which most Nano houses are built, it is a composite building mate- rial, made of a hard foam core between layers of structural board. They are a little more expensive, Paul says, but they will also save money on labor, and many alternative housing projects are made at least partially out of SIPS. But using man- made materials is only one aspect of the housing revolution. The other is very nearly the opposite, reclaiming existing materials to create new and beautiful pieces. Paul himself has used reclaimed flooring in his Nano House. Another pioneer in the field is Terry Davenport (of Natu- ral Housebuilders, in Victor, MT), who is passionate about reclaimed materials, not to mention creative as well. He has recently converted an antique church organ into doors and cabinets for one house. "I have a need to improve stuff that I like to build. This comes from my younger days of motocross racing and we were always trying to improve our motorcycles," Davenport remem- bers. "There was a suspension revolution going on, and I got involved. Then I shifted that interest into building homes." He prefers to use organic materials such as reclaimed lumber and cement but he sees the value in synthetics as well, but even there his yen for sustainability is such that he eschews foam insulated concrete forms, using instead ones made from recycled pallets and concrete paste. In one recent addition he added some 1200 sq. ft. to the home, and still managed to reduce their utilities in half. The homeowners were under- standably pleased with the results: "They love their house," Davenport smiled, "and they were great to work for. They are still glad to see me when we cross paths." Mark Weirich of Architect Inc. in Bozeman is another pio- neer with principles, and something he wrote me in an email sums up the ethos of alternative housing. 'If I can design a space that fits a client's needs but which is only half the size they believe they need, then only half of the materials are used, and only half as much needs to be heated". This is very true of Paul's Nano house, in which a single wood stove bought off of Amazon makes up for what the sun doesn't, which isn't much. Cottage made from concrete and other reclaimed materials by Terry Davenport Cottage uses reclaimed elements such as a converted church organ for cabinets and doors. Paul's 161 sq. ft. house has a base made of a composite building material made of a hard foam core. Quick summary of Nano house and its 40 ideas www.distinctlymontana.com/nano143 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL

• Cover