Brier Homestead

+ Concrete-free, natural, earthen composite floor slab made with clay harvested and processed onsite
  – The connection to the land is fostered through multiple avenues in utilizing the local earth to make the house and keeping concrete from obstructing the feet from the earth.

+ Completely paint-free house!
  – In lieu of latex, oil, vinyl or any kind of paint, walls are hand-troweled with our innovative blend of natural clay plaster that is the most cost-effective of any high-end natural finish on the market.
  – Clay plaster promotes air quality by ionizing molecules that densify dust particles to take them out of the air and pulling toxins from the breathable space.
  – No toxic waste is created and no off-gassing occurs with clay plaster and the hand-finished aesthetic creates a sense of comfort and care mentally.

+ Natural ICF (insulated concrete form) Faswall blocks from Shelterworks stacked to form exterior shell.
  – Resemble cinder blocks but are made with binded, de-mineralized recycled pallet woodchips.
  – Faswall systems use 17% of the concrete that standard concrete walls require, without compromising structural integrity and substantially better energy performance.
  – Faswall is designed to be a generational building material with an enduring lifespan.

+ Extra-thick factory-produced SIP panels from Premier Building Systems used in roof structuring.
  – Foam-insulated panels create profound acoustic and thermal insulation.
  – Prefabricated structural components reduce material and labor costs significantly.
  – Guaranteed longevity and low long-term maintenance create residential stability and ease.

+ Large, passive-solar designed, south-facing windows
  – Passive heating year-round
  – Inherent light source minimizes electric usage
  – Visual connection to natural surroundings supports mental health and calm¹

+ Efficient open-concept structural design
  – Intuitive layout accommodates both solitude and socialization easily
  – Designed with aging and accessibility in mind
  – Layout informed by functional movement patterns and physiological ease

+ Geothermally-supported, whole-house, ventilation (HRV) system
  – Earth bermmed wall supports passive heating and cooling, reducing energy demand and buffering temperature fluctuations
  – Even small amounts of wood in the small, modern woodstove ‘charges’ up internal thermal mass to maintain comfortable heat all day and night

+ Waste water heat recovery system
  – Waste water carries a lot of unused heat!
  – We configured plumbing in this house to pre-heat the water lines going into the water heater by capturing the heat of waste water, reducing the energetic demand for warm or hot water.
  – Using human waste as an energetic resource helps create a highly-sustainable circular economy in the home of high-permacultural standards.