Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Clotheslines and Solar

A reader asked about whether Belvedere, like many developments, would have restrictions on line drying and solar power/water heating. Call it an opportunity to see where the rubber meets the road: would Stonehaus follow through on their commitment to sustainable design and living, or would pressures of home values and appearance win the day?

Here's their answer:

Clotheslines: Our permaculturist/landscaper asked Stonehaus directly about clotheslines in a landscaping meeting we had with them and the answer was that they are fine. My guess is they might be discouraged in the front yard, but like everything else, if properly located they would add a "homelike" feel to the community as well as being practical and Good for the Earth.

Solar: "Absolutely! Someone is putting solar panels on his house and we agreed this was a great opportunity to celebrate the panels. A lot of 'subdivisions' would want to hide them, we think it will add something to the streetscape if they are tastefully visible."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am the one who asked the question (I am not sure why I showed as anonymous), and I am happy to hear from you and other sources that both are allowed. There is a lot to be discussed still on construction materials and techniques to make it affordable, as $9 / per watt is currently unacceptable for solar, but there are a number of promising technologies coming to market that could drop that to $1 / watt. I know I will be exploring the option of "future-proofing" my home for solar. In other words, making sure the infrastructure is designed to accept a rooftop powerplant at a future date, with minimal installation costs.