Owner(s): Alan & Ginny Steele
Region: Greater Ottawa Area
Municipality: Killaloe
Web site: strawacres.com

Number of bedrooms: 2
Number of bathrooms: 1
Usable floor area, square feet (interior): 925 (600 first floor and 325 second floor)
Number of stories: one and a half
Occupancy date: November 2003
Cost per square foot and what that includes: $150 all in

Builder arrangement: Both owner and contractor
Main contractor company: Living Sol
Plaster subcontractor name: Tina Therrien
Plaster subcontractor company: Camel's Back
Architect's name: Linda Chapman
Length of time to build (start to occupancy): one year
Volunteer participation: bale raising with Linda Chapman

Mechanical systems info: Air-tight cook stove Joe Jenkins-style composting toilet. Peat, earth, shredded leaves for covering Grey water system
Electrical systems info: 750 W PV
Other green features: second floor beams are peeled spruce, beams, supporting 2" x 6" red pine decking, building has other environmentally friendly features, such as: Sunmar composting toilet custom sized and built greywater system with 'grease separater' Solar heating design, with over 11 cubic yards of concrete on the inside of the insulation and building envelope, comprised by a six inch wall behind the cookstove, 4 " floating floor above four inches of insulating foam, 15" x 36" fully insulated grade beam foundation, and nearly 7 cubic feet of concrete plaster on the inside of walls. This has been calculated to produce the maximum house conditioning, by offering larger than usual thermal mass proportioned to the southern window exposure proportioned to the floor area. Heartland 'sweetheart' cookstove for supplemental heating, with integrated hot water heating tank, to heat domestic hot water during nine months, and solar flat plate hot water panel to produce hot water during june through september. Solar electric system for fully off-grid energy production, with seasonally adjustable/operated PV awning over south windows, low VOC paints and finishes, and no building materials containing formaldehyde. Drilled well.
Anything else you'd like to share?: The Steele family are the second owners of this property, which was commissioned by Skye Farris. The details about the construction are from Skye. We would like to coppice the large woodland area to open it up for trails on the 4 acres, and plan to garden with wildlife in mind. We are adding to a little blog - strawacres.com with any photos taken there which we enjoy, and info on the wildlife, details of projects we undertake etc.