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Getting to Zero in an Old New England House
By JP Green House
Two years ago, we bought a foreclosed, decrepit former family home and corner store in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. Our intention was to create a zero-carbon living space for our blended family (Ken, Andree and boys Kuba (11), Eli (10) and Simon (8). We also planned a community space, an urban farm, and a center for climate activism.
It is now 2010, we have just moved in to our super-insulated home, totally rehabbed on the "Passive House" model. Technically, it can be heated with just a few lightbulbs and some body heat. We've run out of money altogether and are now doing all finishing work ourselves, using a lot of salvaged materials! Eventual plans include solar hot water and PV systems, and graywater recycling. Also raspberries.
We've had a raucus year of building, gardening, blogging (on Grist.org), and working as organizers with 350.org. As one friend put it "the JP Green House is a living witness to climate change." This is our attempt to infuse joy and hope into a frightening vision of the future.
The JP Green House is an open demonstration home, and you can visit us anytime. Follow our progress on JPGreenHouse.org, or friend us on Facebook. You may also contact us at greenhousejp{at}gmail.com
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