Downsizing for Comfort

An architect designs a small in-town house that uses sustainable materials, solar energy, and water conservation to improve quality of life (and afford it)

Architect Christopher Stafford and his wife decided to downsize, and at the same time, they wanted to live in a low-impact, environmentally conscious building. They bought an in-town lot in Port Townsend, Wash., whittled their ideal home's floor plan down to 1550 sq. ft. (plus a separate 700-sq.-ft. studio), jettisoned any belongings they weren't using, and invested the money they saved by building smaller into renewable-energy systems. A photovoltaic array keeps electricity bills to a minimum, and a solar hot-water system heats the air and the bathwater. The use of compact-fluorescent bulbs, energy-efficient appliances, polyicynene insulation, and a heat-recovery system reduces overall energy consumption by 23%, compared with other neighborhood homes.