Distinctly Montana Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.distinctlymontana.com/i/324936
d i s t i n c t ly m o n ta n a • s U m m E R 2 0 1 4 84 If the prospect of downsizing does not appeal to you, or is not pos- sible, there is always the possibility of simply changing your existing space. Besides installing a solar array or other energy-efficient system, you can make your spot greener using the same principles that House, Davenport and Weirich mentioned. In some of his work, Weirich says that in several houses he has taken "everything back to the studs, joists and rafters, then added some high-efficiency space, too. Doing this type of work I consider to be very green, for a few reasons: The walls and roofs are brought up to current standards of insulation, where the old construction had little or no insulation. Almost always, the window sizes are increased, add- ing to the passive solar abilities of the home. The heating systems are also brought up to current standards, which are much more efficient than the old systems." The work of these three builders, and many more, look forward to a world in which more sustainable building principles are the norm. But they also look back to those pioneers and Native Americans, who managed to create homes that could house them comfortably but which did not leave behind a footprint. And so, as I stand in this beautiful yard under a beautiful, Big Sky in the morning, I reflect that it is fitting that Paul's Nano house rests on the same land as an historic property. Montana has always been a place where the old and new mingle, which is perhaps the trend for the future of our state's housing, and the world's. gEt IN touCH WItH your INNEr bILbo thE hobbIt houSE of Trout Creek, Montana, is an architectural imagining come to life. Stay in a fanciful suite embraced within Middle-Earth and designed with incredible attention to detail. The Shire of Montana is meticulously conceived and masterfully built. Unique...a mystical experience. www.hobbithouseofmontana.com "The free-standing aspect of the studio or house adds privacy and is simpler than attaching an addition to an existing home," says Paul House