As for sustainability, the biggest impact isn’t solar panels or insulation, it’s the location chosen for the house. Transportation is the single biggest impact that most of us have on the environment. Does the location allow you to access work, stores, school, etc. via transit, bicycling, or walking – or does the location require you to drive everywhere. An off-the-grid Dwell house perched on a remote cliff isn’t sustainable if the residents have to get in the car just to get a gallon of milk.

In most large buildings the heat generated from people, lights, and equipment is so much that even in some cold winter climates, air conditioning is used to keep the interior of the building from overheating. One important way to be green is to use as much natural day lighting as possible, not only do you no longer need to power a light, but if the lighting can be achieved without direct sun on the glass the heat gain due to lighting is lower than that of fluorescent lighting (let alone incandescent and halogen). I’m not sure if this is still true if the lighting technology is LED (LEDs use even less enregy than fluorescent).

Unfortunately for Mike, taking advantage of western views is not compatible with passive solar design because the heat gain cannot be controlled to occur only when it is desirable. Even in winter the heat gain in the afternoon is not always desirable because the outside air is reaching the daily high at the same time the sun starts baking your house. I’d recommend planning an easy to use window covering that will allow you to block the solar gain when you aren’t admiring the view. No point in letting the sun bake your house on summer afternoons while you are at work. Also it was wise of you to make sure early on that ventilation was provided with the glass – I imagine most days in Seattle you’ll do just fine if you can let the heated air out and cool air in.

The easiest way to “be green” is to live in a windowless, heavily-insulated, unlit, underground bunker.

Not necessary Mike :) We have a very big window (+ 5 meter/2.5 meter high) situated southwards and we don’t need an AC to cool the house or anything. The glass itself has protection built in against heat but to be honest that isn’t enough when they are that big. Our house has good insulation but not like a passive house. We installed a sunscreen and now everything stays cool to be enjoyable even after serveral days of severe heat and warm nights. Couldn’t miss my window anymore as I love the light even on a very grey day!

The cost thing is a bit controversial and several people have asked me why I’m exposing how much I pay for everything.

I think this is one of the greatest parts. But then again, this is coming from a guy who posts his taxes to his website every year.

I feel a certain patriotic pride that I am helping put people to work at a time when our economy needs it most.

It is true and you should feel proud. My dad (who just did a very large remodel) said the same thing. At first he felt guilty, but then thinking further he realized how it was helping these people out. Capitalism isn’t a bad thing. Greed and materialism is. But throwing out capitalism (especially in a poor economic time) is throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Of course if you do this, you will eventually complete your transformation into the Unabomber and not be allowed at parties — let alone in society — anymore.

Hilarious! And probably true :)