Jetson Green - Latest Comments in The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

you killin me — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 09:38:47 -0000

With the garage door you could park the car inside also! Almost like drive in movies!

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

you killin me — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 09:33:43 -0000

I've been studying this canopy concept for a while. It makes building the living exterior structure so much simpler and lower cost. Plus you do not have maintenance from rain and solar exposure. So many advantages here...

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Noura Ossama — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:58:02 -0000

what material did you use to build the house and what type of wood did you use to build the canopy

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

SEPCO-SolarLighting — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:00:39 -0000

Beautiful design. Love the use of shade and winds to keep the house cooler. Making use of what nature gives you is a great way to live sustainable.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Keith — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:23:40 -0000

I really don't see how solar can be a cost factor. Solar prices have declined to the point you can expect a payoff in about 4-5 years. He probably spent 100K+ building that house, and it won't be paid off for 10-20 years I'd imagine. The difference between 100K and 115K isn't much considering that extra 15K would have paid for itself within a few years.

I just don't get why he didn't go solar.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Keith — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:17:15 -0000

Judging by the fact the house was built in the desert, I'm sure solar would have been a cheaper route than running a grid line to the facility. Also, while you're already shelling out large sums of cash to build a home, tacking on an extra $10,000-$20,000 for solar isn't really too big of an issue.

His reason for no solar panels must have been from an uneducated or NIMBY standpoint.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Jeff — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 23:38:07 -0000

Mexicans have been doing this for years. They build a pavilion roof over their mobile homes.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Debbie Lashinsky Leavelle — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 09:20:20 -0000

I'd just add sides to the roof....that roll up too...;)

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Jizelle — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:45:59 -0000

You do know that they would have to be nocturnal(they move around a lot) because no house can stay permanently in the desert. The sand would eventually give away and they house with it. I don't want to be all 'I know everything' because i don't. I'm only 12. But i have enough knowledge to know that house won't/didn't last very long.
Jizelle :) xxx

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Selena Kam — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:33:13 -0000

A home built in the desert is certainly a test of green building innovation -- because in a climate where resources are limited, how do you ensure comfort and longevity? This home offers a beautiful, eco-friendly solution because it is constructed out of recycled materials. Its most distinctive feature is the steel shade canopy that provides continuous shade. The use of simple geometric shapes blends perfectly with the beauty of the desert. This home is environmentally sensitive and aesthetically appropriate.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Cagaandoro — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:42:50 -0000

no over hang, as the sun sets it will fall on the roof of the under structure as well as the west wall, no thought to it's east west orientation of windows, totally overbuilt.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

youwillneverknow — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 20:59:11 -0000

boners?

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Barbarajdesantis — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:18:06 -0000

We also have a house right near RImrock. I love the ramada roof idea, but have a few concerns regarding the ( undeniably beautiful) garage door entryway. We were told to leave all doors closed, always, to discourage rats, snakes and birds ( all of which we have had as "guests", despite our best efforts at keeping the doors closed. ) How do you leave a giant garage door open and not offer entry to rodents , birds,scorpions, insects and bats, not to mention the dreaded "Mojave Green" snake?
We also have a property in Joshua Tree that has a decaying roof. Because the places where the roof is crumbling offer entry points to desert birds, which are plentiful in the area, the house has become like the aviary at the zoo, complete with MUCHO guano and the accompanying stench. The birds draw predators ( snakes, coyotes, bobcats, etc). I would be wary of anything ( like the space between the surface and the ramada roofs) that could offer shelter to birds. Shelter, as well as food and water sources are hard to come by in the desert and animals take advantage of whatever they can find.
To address some previous questions about water sources,yes, there are wells in the area , but it is also common to purchase hauled water, which mostly comes from Barker Dam.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Robert — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 01:16:25 -0000

Cool looking house!!! Great idea. It is also right step towards energy conservation. Energy can be conserved in many ways http://www.concernergy.com/

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Desert Raton — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 03:40:54 -0000

The idea is simplicity. Zeriscaping eliminates the need for mass water retention. Just sloping the ground properly and strategic planting are often times all that is necessary to satisfy the H2o requirements.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Ian — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:15:31 -0000

Just wanted to post to help start conversation of this. I live in the Socal dessert also. This seems like I new way of thinking.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

JayGrahamReno — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:56:57 -0000

This is the beginning of a great design. I think the solar panel and water collection comments are the next step. The structure appears strong enough to easily support the weight of a PV system.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

BBob — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:37:23 -0000

Wow this is so brand new like all the eco house designs... oh wait that's right the third world gets by without much electricity or fuel already...

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

wcvnow — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:24:45 -0000

Actually this roof-over-the-house concept is farily common in Southern CA, especially as an add-on over an existing, older mobile home. They call them "ramada roofs", and they really, really help. As long as there is free space between ramada and structure roof, the air circulation counters the radiant heat from the metal or wood ramada. Birds must be discouraged from nesting there though.

As for dust on windows and in the house.....some sort of ground covering is the best remedy for prevention, like pavement or concrete, or stonework for something more attractive. But if dust bothers someone that much, the desert may not be for them.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

farzan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:20:41 -0000

Why not paint the roof white?

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

erikv — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:41:18 -0000

I saw this design for the first time in Auroville - India, 10 years ago..

www.auroville.org

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

deuda — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:31:07 -0000

I like the design of the house, but I am wondering, if theory is working in practice.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

fridgychick — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:33:45 -0000

Hey there from Australia, Driest continent on Earth. Go under ground. The surface is the last place to be!!!!!

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Events — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:57:11 -0000

Overall the idea of the canopy is brilliant! It would be a good idea to put some PV solar modules or a solar hot water system on the canopy to make better use of its large surface area.

Re: The Ultimate Modern Desert House

Rikka — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:45:16 -0000

chuck some solar panels up on that canopy, and water collection too while you're at it...