Building on the north slope in the mountains
This was initially written as a follow-up response from a question asked after a marketing presentation with respect to the work executed by Studio 285 Architecture. The question was, “what about building on the north facing slopes? People often buy a home on a north facing slope in the mountains and then don’t last there very long”.
The easy response is, “don’t build or buy a home on the north facing slope to begin with!” It is not always that easy, however. There are plenty of compelling sites on north slopes with commanding views that are difficult to ignore. Responding to this question affords me an opportunity to get out a few thought as related to building ion the mountains. There are two components to this answer: comfort/energy usage and comfort/site accessibility of the site.
- Comfort/Energy usage of the home.
With respect to comfort/energy usage of the home, there is a better way to build. Take a look at my website www.Studio285architecture.com and click on the sidebar “A Better Way to Build”. By using the ICF’s, (Insulated Concrete Forms) www.forms.org and SIPs (Structural
Insulated Panels) www.sips.org one may construct a superior building envelope that performs infinitely better than traditional stick construction. Use of the SIPs allows for more cost effective ‘super insulation’. Going to a 8”, 10” or even 12” SIPs wall panel is more cost-effective than attempting the same with a traditional stick framed wall. A super insulated envelope will certainly compensate for greater losses due to a Northern/High Elevation.
Heating: one may over insulate all one wants, but a home may still feel uncomfortable and chilly. As we humans are mostly water. We respond better to radiant heat. I once had a little cabin with a nice view of Pike’s Peak. There was plenty of south-facing glazing. When the sun was shining it was quite comfortable. When the clouds roll in things get distinctly chilly even though the little Rinai heater indicated the temperature was at 70 degrees. The rub is that it is a convective air unit . . . which is terrible when it comes to comfortably heating humans. Any radiant heat source is far superior . . which is then why one has to fight the family pets for a place by the fireplace.
To address this issue, the referenced website page recommends use of in floor (hydroponic tube) radiant heat systems. As these systems directly heat a human body from the floor up through radiant means there is a greater degree of comfort. The in-floor piping may be doubled up at those ‘expansive north facing picture windows’ to cover for heat loss and maximize comfort. Hydroponic heat systems are very flexible, non invasive and fill a range of less than usual heating demands. Just about anything may be used to heat the water in the system. Such as:
- Natural gas or propane fired ‘boilers’.
- Wood or coal-fired ‘boilers’.
- Solar heating panels.
- Water heat pumps.
- Geothermal/deep well (a form of heat pump)
- Electrical water heaters
If you are facing north and just happen to have a North facing view, you are in an apparent pickle. You would like to have lots of glass to maximize that view, but lots of glass in a northern exposure is something of a no-no. That great sucking sound is BTU’s flying through that glass faster than lemmings over the White Cliff of Dover.
There are more than a few homes built-in the mountains that put too much glass on the premium view exposure. Even on the southern exposure this is problematic as the occupant may alternate between freezing and frying. You don’t necessarily need expansive glazing to capitalize on views. An example of this is a house I designed in the Pacific Northwest, the Uhrich Residence. http://www.studio285architecture.com/Urich%20Residence/uhrichwebpage.htm There was a set amount of square footage of glazing per the energy code. This glazing budget would not allow me to fill the entire elevation with glass – so I made judicious use of what I had. The primary glazing expression was a horizontal ‘band’ of separate windows framing individual views which also created an overall composite view that fit in with the horizontal oval of the human field of view. Note that there was a vertical strip of glazing that went to the eaves.
Part and parcel of this exercise is specifying a window package that has at least better than average thermal performance.
- Comfort/Site accessibility of the site.
Having expended much digital ink on the building’s performance, I will try to be a bit more brief with respect to site uses on that frigid north face.
If one is creative and flexible, one has more options about how and where the residence is placed on the site and it works with the drive/approach to the home, ultimately making the drive less onerous.
I usually take the lead in site design and grading as most civil engineers are too straightforward in their design process. Design to them ofttimes is a simple matter of math . . . go with the steepest slope allowed by code and the straightest line between two points. A more subtle approach of is working with the ‘lay of the land’ might result in a slightly longer drive that requires less grading and results in a more gentle slope. Also, getting even the least bit of southern sun exposure will encourage a more rapid thaw. ‘Massaging’ the drive to pick up those spots where the sun ‘peeks over the hill’ is a good approach. Judicious trimming/thinning of vegetation along the drive to is best done to allow penetration of sunlight to the roadway. Trimming/thinning along the roadway is recommended with respect to fire mitigation. What good is proper mitigation around the house if access to the residence is not mitigated as well?
Another strategy is brute force by use of drive heat/melt systems. These systems use the same type of hydroponic tube system as recommended above. There are practical limitations, such as length of drive, but to the person who has the financial resources a dry and snow/ice-free drive is a viable option.
And there is the ‘you silly person you live in the mountains’ response to site access issues. There may be snow from August to June with but one month of summer in July. Learn how to deal with it and turn in your four door rear wheel drive pavement pounder for a capable AWD or 4wd vehicle and don’t worry about the weather.