Air and water show inside a 2,400-square-foot home
Usually when we hear of someone building a house that’s completely off the grid, it’s a cabin or small home tucked away on a mountain with not a whole lot of civilization around it. Enter the “Urban Frontier House.”
That’s what longtime Billings, Montana, resident Randy Hafer calls the 2,400-square-foot home that he and his wife are building on the city’s north side. It’s located on the corner of North 23rd Street and Seventh Avenue North, where their 23-foot high wind turbine is situated. The house will not only be disconnected from the electrical power grid, but also from the city’s water and sewer hookups.
Solar panels and the wind turbine will provide electricity. Insulation, ventilation and passive solar will provide most of the heating and cooling. All of their water will come from the sky…collected in barrels and stored in the basement. It’s a home that will use no more energy or water than it is able to generate on site.
While Hafer and his wife are free to come and go as they please, they may not need to leave home too often. They will grow fruits and vegetables in a 300-square-foot garden room. This room will also serve as a passive heat collector to warm the house. Because electricity from the solar panels and wind turbine will be stored in batteries in the basement, they may plug in electric heaters from time to time when it gets exceptionally cold.
Hafer says that the positioning of his house is nearly as important as what’s in it and on it. For example, the garden room, with solar panels above it, will face directly south. Every room in the house that is habitable will have direct high-low ventilation. With windows open both high and low, cooler air will rush in from below and warmer air will rise up and out.
Other notable features about the house are:
• A heat trap that will keep the basement at 75 degrees, which will help to heat the floor above it.
• A heavily insulated roof and walls made of structural insulated panels.
• Two sets of blinds for each window, including an insulated blind.
• Low-flow fixtures and a composting toilet that uses at least 10 times less water than a conventional toilet.
• Gray water (used for showers and laundry) that will be filtered and re-used indefinitely.
Hafer said that because Montana has a larger spread between its record low and record high temperatures than any other state, his home will be a model that can be effectively replicated anywhere in the country.
How would you like to live in this type of house? Are there some features that you’d prefer to get rid of, or others you’d like to add. Let me know what you think.
Where can we get more info on their building methods ?? I’ve stayed in a earthship home (near Toas, NM) –over night and was over all very impressed!!!
Modern composting toilets work great – we’ve had one in our house for 10+ years – no odors, some maintenance and learning how to manage, but not that hard. Can be AC/Dc and have both a solar and an electric fan. An incinerator toilet would cost more as it needs fuel to operate – but also a good option. We also have a grey water system for the rest – goes to gardens.
All that stuff about living off grid is great. Unfortunately City codes don’t allow you to do that. Well not all City’s . If you do want to go off grid. check your city codes first. They can even condemn your house due to a city code violation and kick you out of your own home. Not good. :(.
It’s Montana….not New York or Massachussets. And I’m betting that they looked into that well before hand.
Same came to mind about the woman comfortably living in Florida disconnected from Electric and Water. Forget what city that was.
Another option, although probably not as nice looking, would be a Monolithic Dome home. Unbelievably well insulated! I’ve read that they can be heated solely from the pilot light of a natural gas stove. So, if off grid, the smallest of heaters should be able to keep them toasty, whether using a fireplace, pellets, solar, geothermal, etc. Also, they are relatively inexpensive, and hurricane/tornado/fire/earthquake safe!
Permits & concern re: “laws”, ordinances, & codes is truly irrelevant for People aware of real Law & their rights therefrom, as what one does upon one’s own land is no business of so-called “government”, unless another is being harmed by same, & willing to testify to such harm under oath. I highly recommend this revelationary “comic book” introduced here I consider my best Independence Day discovery EVER!! http://scannedretina.com/2015/07/03/john-adams-its-done/ Enjoy :D
I built a home that is very easy to heat and cool. I have a earth burmed home. Dirt is 4 inches abouve the cealing leavel and six feet out and then tapered out to about 15 feet. Three walls are 16 inches thick and the front wall is 13 inches thick with one inch styrofoam on the inside. I have five hot air solar panels, two turboair fans in the attic and two solar fans. I have the solar blanket covering my 14 inches of blown in insolation. We have thurmopane windows on the front and there is only three windows on the front of the house and a six foot sliding glass door with storm door.
Still require heating and cooling? Perhaps because not deep enough in earth? The Earth Insulated home is my desire. Wasn’t aware of the Solar Tubes to transfer Sunlight until recently. However, not certain that I can adapt well to no windows OR windows only on 1 side.
My grandparents had a composting toilet 60 years ago. They called it “the outhouse”. It smelled horrible, but at least it was outside the main house. Putting one inside your house will guarantee that you won’t have guests overstaying their welcome. Stock up on air freshener.
i wish i had my own house. i got very ill and lost everything including my wife. i live in a small dumpy apartment thats 95 dgrees inside and 84 outside. you people who have your own home, should be consudered blessed. i have always owne my own home, until my ex devorced me when i got ill. cheating lieing bitch.
The modern composting toilets are virtually odor free. They have come a long way in 60 yrs.
We live in Idaho. Unknown to most, it is against the “law” here to collect rainwater. A little known, and not always enforced law was passed in the nineteen twenties that is still on the books for most western states. I would never again consider building anything off grid inside city limits. City code changes take place to control the citizens, as they have here, ignoring the will of those impacted, many times without their knowlege until served with a “violation”. We are partially off grid, and isolated from it with our solar. I would not trust any homestead act for protection. Boise city ignores the rule of law and our patented property rights in their effort to enforce stupid city codes such as lawns must be mowed to three inches in height. I wish these people great success, but I wonder how long they will be tolerated in their efforts. God Bless….
sounds like idaho is a commie state. son all other states will fallow in the line.
I’m in! I think an incinerator toilet would work better. Especially if your in a suburban environment. I would like to see pictures if you’ve got them.
The address is in the post, just use google earth and/or street view. You’ll be standing right in front of the property.
One thing I would worry about is that if a lot of people jump on the wagon around the country or have pockets of off grid living communities is that this corrupt gov.’t will want to tax the hell out of you because you are not paying your fare share so others can benefit from your hard work. To live independently you may have to hide and become invisible to the gov.’t. Then it becomes who can you trust ? The gov.’t will take all you have if they can, find you. Just saying. Am I paranoid ? I DO NOT TRUST THIS GOV.’T
What does this house look like?, and are plans, specifications available for purchase?
highplainsarchitects.com/projects/high-performance/urban-frontier-house/
Great, So, “Home is where you hang your hat.” Hank Williams once said. It is self-sufficient with all the bells and whistles, wonderful. They have became self-sufficient; something I, myself, is working on.
My hopes are like theirs – where everyone can achieve their goals of becoming self-sufficient. But I also look at reality. No man is an island. With every action, is an equal and opposite reaction. What am I saying? Well if he builds it; they will come. Who? They Government of course. If they see that you are doing better than the average person they will do their best to take it away from you. Taxes is one way, changing zoning laws or local laws is another. There is of course confiscation of your property. Are the Hafer’s aware that a zoning law change can cause them to lose their wind turbines or taxing the turbines can also burden the Hafer’s with higher property taxes? The city can also employ the dreaded Emanate Domain law, condemn the property; take it from them paying them pennies on the dollar for it? What about their water rights? Are they aware that the government can cut into their water supply causing their well to go dry? What if it was a corporation or other entity that had cut into their water source or contaminated it by dumping chemicals into it?
I don’t mean to be a gloomy Gus, but, I have to look at all sides of the situation before I will jump for joy or through a hoop.
I rather hear that the Hafer’s Homestead their property, so that no one can take it from them. I would rather hear that their zoning laws will allow their wind turbines and if the zones were to change that they would be exempt from the changes. I would rather hear that they have secured the water rights to their property and no cooperation, government agency or entity can alter their water supply – then and only then will I jump for joy for them.
Like I said earlier, I too am working on my self-sufficiency by securing the above rights and zoning laws and Homesteading acts for my property. I suggest that you do the same. Make sure that the ground that you build your house upon is placed on solid rock and that you truly own it out-right. A strong door will keep the wolves out; but a good defense will kill the wolves before they even get to your door.
lots of excuses out there so start with a surface ground water well for showers, vegetables etc or put in a filtration system to purify it and simple and slow? one solar panel a year and a small plot of vegetables and 2 fruit trees a year and when you retire no bills for veggies, fruits, or electricity! get an electric gulf cart for short errands and shopping. figure it out and get as many corporations and governments out of your pockets as possible!..the space blanket idea is great and cheap!
It sounds interesting except the gray water for laundry and bathing. I’m not sure about the composting toilet either. There are toilets that have a high heat that burns the contents. They use them in Rvs. I saw one once. I always thought it was cool. It could hook to the battery supply. Also why not have a well and run w the solar power. We have radiant floor heat at our mountain home. We were thinking of solar or wind power to run the boiler that hears the water running through the tubes. Interesting article.
One great thing about Montana is it does allow what other states don’t.
The water would have to flow through a special spectrum light. Both rain water and grey to kill any pathogens that might be there.
I would heat with a rocket mass heater, less wood and no smoke.
There is no way you can run an electric heater! I had a large bank of batteries and only the first 2 strings get the power. So a separate charge controller would be needed for every 2 strings. You would need a massive amount of solar panels and battery bank to store 1 hour of electricity for a small 1500w heater that doesn’t heat the room your even in.
As for the windmill,it needs to be 30′ above the highest item within 300′ of it. House roofs in the area should be about 25′. So it needs to be 30′ above them to get the proper air flow. The north side of Billings might have an up draft,but not enough to rely heavily on.
I live off the grid. I tried to get a building loan, banks don’t loan unless you are tied in. Just a few things I’ve learned living my way in the past 12 yrs.
Please follow up in 12 months with a report or water and purchased power, if any. Include daily high, low average Temps in and out and rainfall. Report food produced also. To do a good cost assessment, final construction costs should also be reported.
Great points to follow, Terry. I live in Billings and will be checking this house out soon. Being in the city limits, I don’t know if the beauracrats will let randy disconnect from the city sewer “services”. Probably mostly due to the city losing “revenue” to keep the coffers stuffed full!
It sounds good in theory, but I wonder how it will work out in the real world. You say that this couple “are building” the house. It will be interesting to see a follow-up on how it actually performs after it has been built and they have lived in it for a couple of years. One thing I find particularly hard to believe is that they will be able to run electric heaters with power produced solely by solar and wind on a city block. I am not sure how they define “exceptionally cold”, but a typical electric space heater uses 1500 watts, and it doesn’t heat a very large space. (It is minus 15 here, as I am writing this.)
The house will undoubtedly be more energy efficient than most, but I would like to see more detailed information before forming an opinion.
Frank do move this if you want to —Income for Life is very good place for money to be safe. Be sure to know if agent you talk to knows how all this stuff works. Many agents will say ” yea I know what to do, just pay me , I will do it for you” This is not the agent to work with. Do be sure your commitment is doable, if you fail to put in money on time, this thing could be closed to you.
sounds like a great home to build if the state allots it to be build without tying into services maintained by city. Like Savannah Ga. if a septic tank is needed can not get a permit for tank unlit electric power is hook up. If living in home can not cutoff electric power and go to alternative power of any kind and still live in home. So this type of home building will be great if your state / city laws allow it. I have heard some states do not allow rain water to be collected, not mine for sure. Wood heating does great in my 2100 sq ft home, closed in wood heater is in center of my home. maybe this home could include wood heating. Using gray water for showers even filtered may present some hearth problems, so may need to test water from time to time and monitor your well being because as one gets older things do change with hearth. As for windows helping with cooling and heating, when I added on to my 800 sq ft home making it 2100 sq ft all outside walls are framed with 2 x 6 s then 3/4 form, 6 mil plastic. black 4 x 8 material, then brick on outside then inside R30 fiberglass insulation, 6 mil plastic and Sheetrock. Double pane windows are set on outside of wall with brick up to but not covering window frame then a one piece glass double pane window on room side of window opening ( must have small tube to put small volume of air between these 2 sets of windows, do not want condensation building up between these windows.) Another little thing I done was put what is called ” a space blanket ” over all attic insulation. Imagine if you had a 200 watt light bulb on your hand, hand would be burned badly, but if space blanket was between hand and bulb, you would not feel any heat at all. Hot and cold will not past thro space blanket.