Meeting Minutes: 8:30-9:45 a.m., June 4, 2009
Participants: Kevin, Amy, Jeff, Brent, Hans, Lisa, Michael, Jerome, and Emmanuelle.
The simulated views from the master bedroom look beautiful! The nice open view corridors south and west, confirm that the views are sufficient without pushing the view further to the south or east, while avoiding looking at the neighbors.
Kevin visited with Chad to tighten up the envelope of the house. Need to reduce heat loss from the garage and front doors, decrease the 140F setting on the current 120gallon hot water tank, replace boiler, etc. Hans is trying to find a panel not flammable for the garage door, thermax sheathing or better.
Water catchment:
According tot the new bill language, water catchment is not allowed since there are no water rights on the property, and there are more than 3 houses on one well. However, we will proceed with water catchment for the green house. From previous experiences with Routt County building department, the current plans should be approved with no difficulties.
Water catchment tanks underneath the greenhouse might take space from climate batteries. Once Michael has a schematic design for the mechanical system, we can determine whether there is sufficient space for both.
Lisa’s friend from Seattle, Cameron Scott with Exteriorscapes LLC, should be visiting the site in the next few weeks to provide suggestions on water catchment opportunities for the green house.
Bed Layout :
Jerome, Michael and Lisa designed the planting plan to maximize living space and production.
The beds were created to be soft and organic shapes. The aquaculture is flush with the mezzanine and then steps down to with the rocks on the east full of plants and moving around the bed along the south wall would be all annuals. There would be and island bed in the middle with taller trees and perennials, a fig tree would reside in the NW corner and the work area would be along the west side of the mezzanine. The mezzanine would have a space for containers of citrus.
Comments from Jerome: In the fig tree area, the bench can be cut in half and be moved were the steps are, since the steps don’t need to be that long. The western steps can be 5 feet wide, which would allow more efficient use of the area, with a table underneath the canopy.
Step width:
The steps on the other side going to the south could also be shortened. The center island would grow a little bit to the East, cutting the steps in half or 2/3 and maybe have one step going into the kidney area. A citrus could go in the kidney bed as well as rosemary, lavender and perennial herbs.
Bed depth:
Jeff likes how the south bed is angulated, but wanders if it needs to be deeper or not in order to reach into the beds.
Gerome thinks that 30 inches width is good for most working areas. You can sit on the returning wall and reach further that way. All that is needed is to get into the keyhole and turn around, plants that don’t need access all the time, such as broccoli that don’t require cutting everyday, should be planted.
It is important to have annuals within reach.
Aquaculture:
Jeff likes the opportunity for aquaculture at the mezzanine level, with a view window to see what is happening beneath the surface. Michael suggested the idea to use a round porthole with a good sealed clamp, which will require a straight/flat area.
Lisa also suggested an un-expensive product –CIM- that can be used by shaping metal.
The aqua pool would allow for tilapia, -needs water at 60 degrees-, carp -help clean algae-, red claw and crayfish –require water up to 75degree-. There will be a need for a heat source/solar panel to allow for certain species of fish and amphibians. The pool could also support duckweed, lilies, lotus, water chestnut, watercress, etc. which will help filter the water but will still need a small aeration system.
Michael has designed elliptical tanks in growing domes, that take less space and where the top surface area can be used, forming a cooler, moist and less sunny platform to start plants.
Climate batteries:
The circles on the landing area are pots, not air intakes. The air intake will be in the back, 3 or 4 intakes 14 inches in diameter to accelerate heat transform 3 or 4 feet tall, next to the door behind in the harbor, or one behind the fig tree. They should not be all concentrated in one area; a couple by the tank, the harbor, in the island bed, or/and in the perennial bed would be best.
Mezzanine:
The mezzanine is best suited for pots rather than planting beds. The pots will function to move around and leave space for a sitting area, a hammock, or a work- table for the children.
The upper mezzanine level does not have to have permeable surfaces, could do flagstones with concrete. Lisa suggested sandstone pieces with thyme in between, which would have softer qualities to the patio and could deal with potential water issue. Lisa prefers no concrete in the green house and doesn’t like veneer stone and wants to do dry-stack which can be moved.
Kevin likes the idea of moving pots around. Amy like the idea of a multi purpose table, but would like to know how big the space is.
Gerome likes the idea of using a hammock, which can be stored on one hook! Chair hammocks might also fit well. Amy is worried about flagstone with thyme in between; flagstone is difficult to keep clean. Lisa believes that in order to do it right a concrete slab will be necessary. May need to pour a wall and build the stairs and have everything else stone.
Path:
Upper sitting area, mezzanine, steps could be stone that would retain the soil, and the floor of path would be gravel, fine enough that it compacts.
Path does not need to be wide enough for wheel barrel in keyhole but main path should be wide enough (36’’ or less, Michael’s wheel barrel is 27” wide!).
Planting bed material:
Copper could be used for some of the beds, but another material/mass behind the bench may be needed since the copper can get up to 140 degrees. Steel could be an alternative, but the price of copper has come down significantly since last year.
Shades and insulated curtains:
There will be no need to protect the plants from direct sun, even on the south glass panels, therefore no need for sunshade. However insulated curtains might be needed during extremely low temperatures in the winter. The curtains would then be operated manually.
Action Items:
1.Michael will finalize simulation for green house climate batteries - no more than 366watts running full speed-.
2.Jerome and Michael will estimate the energy load for the aquarium aeration pump and heat.
3.Hans and Jeff will estimate the load for the motorized venting windows.
4.Emmanuelle will obtain irrigation energy load estimate.
5.Lisa will provide more information on the metric water catchment system.
7.Jerome, Lisa and Michael will review and provide comments for the refinement of the planting plan including bed size and configuration and path dimensions.
6.Jeff will simulate furniture in the mezzanine area to visualize what would fit and further develop and model the planting plan.
Thanks for your review Jeff!
