When this homeowner met me during the 1990 AEA Solar Home Tour, she wanted an efficient and solar home, but also had other special concerns.  First, her property's grade sloped "unsolarly" down to the northeast, front to rear.  Second, besides hay-fever-like allergies, she had reactions to toxins like urea formaldehyde in common building materials in her last home, so exceptional indoor air quality was a must even though she liked the idea of a more draft-free home. Finally, she wanted the design to be able to accommodate the possibility of a future live-in parent in a semi-private area of the floorplan.

To take advantage of the natural grade, I produced a 2-story floorplan, which also allowed for a lower-level private sleeping and living suite.  A passive sunspace stretched across the entire house front, connected by windows and doors to all living spaces on both levels.   Its floor midway between the two levels, the unconditioned sunroom acts as a collector, distributor, and storer of solar heat and light.  Containing the front door and access door to the attached garage, it is also an "airlock" buffer space between the house and the front porch or garage.  The entry, sunspace, and most of the house's west side are wind-sheltered by the garage and workshop.  There is upper-level deck and walk-out lower level patio on the rear of the house.

Efforts to accomplish superior indoor air quality started with avoiding carpets.  Materials and agents suspected to outgas toxins were avoided or carefully sealed.  Special stains and paints were used.  After completion but before occupancy, the home was forced through repeated air-baking cycles to accelerate and purge outgassing from not-fully-cured materials and finishes. These efforts worked, since although the owner had had years of health problems living in her last home, she has had no unhealthy reactions to this home at all after moving in.