What is an “IRRESIDENCE” ?

IRRESIDENCE is an economical alternative for practical individuals, couples, artists, or families who want off-grid living freedom combined with a reasonable level of creature comforts.

IRRESIDENCE stands for “infra red” and “residence” It also stands for irreverence because the IRRESIDENCE mocks conventional building designs that waste the abundant free energy that arrives at the earth’s surface.

Heating:

As you can see by the chart below, the energy in sunlight is concentrated in the infra-red portion off the spectrum. The solar energy arriving on the earth from the sun is both beneficial and troublesome. Very simply put: Too much light or heat is uncomfortable to humans and so is too little.

A good building design makes effective use of the sun’s energy to maximize the comfort of the occupants. An IRRESIDENCE captures the sun’s heat for space heating during the winter and sheds the excess heat during the summer. An IRRESIDENCE can also capture the sun’s heat all year round for the production of hot water for showers and cleaning.

Fall close up:

An IRRESIDENCE is designed to be “winter walk-away” The water storage and heating systems in an IRRESIDENCE are located in a separately insulated “tower” and are designed to stay hot all day and to tolerate freezing due to severe cold or circulating pump failure.

Electricity:

To further simplify the life of someone living in an IRRESIDENCE it captures light for the production of electricity to power tools, run building systems and provide lighting at night. The IRRESIDENCE features over 1000 watts of photovoltaic generating capacity, permanently freeing the occupants from dependence on the electrical grid.

Sewage:

IRRESIDENCE is also unique in its attitude to biological waste. In an urban setting septic systems are not practical but they are often used in rural areas of Canada and they are the troublesome standard for cottage living. IRRESIDENCE is equipped with a powered composting toilet that separates solid and liquid waste and reduces the solid matter to a useful non-toxic product. This system dramatically reduces both the cost of system construction and the energy cost of system maintenance. So that the toilet can function indoors negative air pressure is maintained at the bowl with a 12 volt fan.

What an IRRESIDENCE is not

An IRRESIDENCE is not a typical cottage or a typical home. To live comfortably in an IRRESIDENCE you will have to do some work. Due to the advanced design you will have to do less work than with comparable getaway homes.

Centrally Heated:

In the dead of winter when temperatures drop to -35 you will have to use the wood stove to provide heat and during the summer when it gets to +35 you won’t be able to run an air conditioner. You will have lots of windows to open and you will have lots of shade.

Grid Connected:

1000 watts of generating capacity sounds like a lot but remember that this is only available during peak daylight hours and must be stored in batteries for use at night or during periods of overcast weather. Air conditioners, electric appliances like space heaters and clothes dryers are not viable options in an off-grid home. The wiring of an IRRESIDENCE is suitable for 110 volt use, so if you chose to connect to the grid you can run high use appliances (or enjoy the sight of your electrical meter running backwards!) A windmill option is available to increase production and the use of a generator is possible though not recommended for aesthetic reasons.....

Sewered:

You will have to empty the composting toilet periodically, but this is not as bad as it seems since a toilet that is functioning correctly reduces the waste to a substance with the odor of damp earth.

How do I get an IRRESIDENCE?

You can build an IRRESIDENCE yourself, or we can build one for you. Go to the Contact page for more information.