Shedding Light Pioneering Couple Eager To Share Their Enthusiasm For Earth-Friendly Building Techniques
What surely qualifies as one of the most elaborate sheds ever built in Spokane County is the focus of a free open house Saturday afternoon.
The 7-by 17-foot “research structure” incorporates a range of alternative building techniques, from straw-bale walls to earthen roof, subterranean heat storage and a photovoltaic-assisted “thermosiphon.”
But don’t be scared off by complicated-sounding features. This cozy shelter tucked into the side of Mica Peak is actually low-tech, low-cost and best of all, its owners say, Earth-friendly.
Jerry Mueller, a retired veterinarian, and his wife, Marilynne, built the shed to test how various systems perform on the south-facing site where they plan to build their home next year.
One of their goals is to store summer warmth underground, then retrieve it during winter months to heat their home.
They’re also studying the suitability of walls made of stuccoed straw bales, rammed earth and dirt-filled tires.
Residential designer Don Stephens offered technical advice, and is helping evaluate the results.
Mueller is enjoying the experiment so much, he playfully describes himself as “reverting to my second childhood.”
But there’s a seriousness to the project as well, and he hopes that side - along with his enthusiasm - comes across during Saturday’s tour of the site.
“I’m trying to open people’s eyes and make them think about different ways of doing things,” he explained during a recent visit to the shed, which maintained a comfortable temperature despite that morning’s dusting of snow.
“I’m concerned,” he admitted, “that this building might make people think they have to live in a cave in order to use this technology.
“Actually, I’m hoping to prove just the opposite with my home - that you can use this technology and still build something that might appeal to Martha Stewart.”
Mueller will host more open houses during construction of his residence. He and Stephens also are developing a network of area owner-builders interested in alternative construction materials and techniques.
Meanwhile, visitors can touch the stucco walls of Mueller’s shed, read the digital thermometers, ask questions and decide for themselves if this is, as proponents suggest, a hint of what houses may look like someday.
Saturday’s tour is sponsored by Creating the Future, a nonprofit local group that encourages sustainable living. For more information about the tour, the owner-builder network or the group, contact Mueller at 535-1009, or Stephens at 838-8222.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo 2 illustrations by Don Stephens
MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TOUR THE SITE Saturday’s tour of Jerry and Marilynne Mueller’s earth-sheltered, straw-bale shed begins at 1 p.m. in the parking lot of South Gate Shopping Center, 46th and Regal. Participants will carpool to the site 20 miles away.