The Minnesotan
The “Minnesotan” is a two-story, 2,000 square foot house designed by Newell Instruments for a developer in Minnesota interested in a home with the same eco-friendly comfort and performance of Equinox House, but built in a more traditional style. Study the “Minnesotan’s” floor plans and layouts and discover that an extraordinarily performing house can, in fact, look deceptively ordinary! Sufficient roof space exists for convenient mounting of a solar PV system that supplies 100% of the “Minnesotan’s” annual energy requirements. Additionally, the same PV system emits energy sufficient for 8,000 miles of electric vehicle driving per year.
The “Minnesotan” is designed as a complete system, rather than a cluttered assemblage of “buzz word” components. While modestly windowed, occupants of the “Minnesotan” will find countless options throughout the home for pleasant interior lighting. Newell Instruments’ “CERV” system maintains the highest level of comfortably conditioned, filtered, fresh air. The ingeniously designed “CERV” system, or Conditioning Energy Recovery Ventilator system, continually purges and exhausts carbon dioxide, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and radon, all while providing a temperate atmosphere for the home.
Would the “Minnesotan” operate successfully in warm states like Arizona, Florida, or Louisiana? Yes, the home would function very well. However, homes in any different climate should be optimized for their specific environments in order to achieve highest levels of cost efficiency.
