Breezes on the mountain top: wind powers this efficient retreat.

Reminiscing with Talitha and Louis Mes takes us back years ago when they used to drive up from Louisiana and camp on their mountaintop land, dreaming about the home they would build one day. Enjoying the great outdoors gave them the benefit of getting" to know their environment, especially the path of the sun and which way the strong winds were blowing. Their dream of having an energy-efficient home and using renewable energy became a well-planned reality.

"We knew we didn't have to sacrifice any trees, but we didn't know our foundation would have to be prepared by dynamiting the rock."

Upon completion, they were glad their structure was secured with a slab that bolted with metal beams and hurricane clips all around. They understood the need for a solid, tight house for the spot they had chosen.

Their disturbance of the earth has certainly been balanced with the fact that they have gone beyond what most would do to help the environment. In addition to installing solar hot water and radiant floor heat six years ago when the house was built, this summer they added a 10kw Bergey windmill to power their home. Sitting on top of a 100-foot lattice tower, it is expected to generate 14,000 kilowatt-hours annually, enough to power their home and offset approximately eight tons of greenhouse gasses. It is the first in the state of North Carolina to be connected to the NC Green Power Program, which will pay the Mes family six cents per kilowatt hour for energy they feed back to the electrical grid. Because Haywood Electric is a cooperative utilities company, the new net metering law passed by the Utilities Commission does not apply to them. As a result the Meses will receive only two cents per kilowatt of energy from Haywood Electric. But reimbursement for extra energy they produce is not what the Meses are concerned about. As Talitha explains about installing the windmill, "We have built this way due to greenhouse gases and environmental problems. Everyone is aware of these problems if they care to think about it. Someone has to start doing this, because it is the right thing for the environment."

Of course, no renewable energy system can be utilized to its full potential unless the home is well-prepared. The first step in planning their 2,300 sq. ft. home was to make sure the structure was energy efficient all by itself. Louis says, "The key factor in the structural efficiency is the well insulated roof, walls and windows." The roof is insulated with 8-inch foam and 2-inch outside plywood layer. The inside is 6 x 12-inch Douglas fir beams for support with tongue and groove pine for a nice A-frame-style finished interior 27-foot ceiling that allows for a spacious loft they use for their entertainment area.

The thick 2 x 8 insulation in the walls and the well-insulated south-facing windows, placed for cross ventilation to catch the great summer breeze, eliminate the need for air conditioning. Tile floors also make for a cool touch in the summer and when the radiant floor heat is turned on in the winter, everyone's feet stay warm and cozy. Solar hot water supports the radiant floor heat as well as domestic hot water usage and its 3 x 12 foot quiet mechanical room is housed between the bedroom and pantry.

Because the roof faces into the prevailing winds, there is a good draw on the whitewashed adobe brick stove, handmade by a local enthusiast. But as beautiful and efficient as the stove is, Louis points out, "The radiant floor heat works too well to use it! After six years, the solar hot water and radiant floor heating system investment has already paid for itself. We are very pleased with it."

And when asked about his windmill investment, Louis simply states, "Some people buy an SUV for $45,000; I bought a windmill that will give back to the environment."

The exterior of the house is simple fiber cement siding that is a mixture of sand, cement and cellulose fiber that has been autoclaved to increase its strength and durability. It has the look of painted wood siding, is termite resistant, water resistant, non-combustible and warranted to last fifty years.

Next to the home is a 450 square foot efficiency apartment sitting above a double car garage / workshop with an 8 x 8 foot control room for the battery, inverters, and wind turbine controller. The wind turbine charges the battery that in turn powers the inverters, which supplies the majority of the electrical needs throughout the home. Excess battery power is passed to the grid for the benefit of all.

They have created a simple yet magical home that is comfortable and supports the environment. And through it all they stood tall among their neighbors who had concerns about a windmill' being part of the scenery. A structure that, after all is said and done, does not kill birds, crash airplanes, roar like a train, or catch on fire from tightening. It is simply part of their home, a home that actually gives back to the environment, in more ways than one.

What does it mean?

Net metering is a state level electricity policy for those who own smaller, renewable energy sources such as a wind or solar power. Under net metering, a system owner receives retail credit for at least a portion of the electricity they generate. The ideal has your existing electricity meter spinning backwards, effectively banking excess electricity production for future credit. In North America, 40 U.S. states have some form of net metering in place. (http://en.wikipedia.org)

NC GreenPower is an independent, nonprofit organization established to improve North Carolina's environment through voluntary contributions toward renewable energy. The goal of NC GreenPower is to supplement the state's existing power supply with more green energy--electricity generated from renewable resources like the sun, wind and organic matter. For more information, visit: http://www.ncgreenpower.org.

Where: Clyde, NC in Haywood County

Designer: Paul Chastant

Builder: Ron Leatherwood

Wind Turbine Installer: Ole Sorensen of Solar Dynamics Solar Hot Wafer with Radiant floor Heat: Beech Barrett of Thermacraff

Construction Type: Stick Building with concrete slab

Price: $350,000 not including windmill

Laura Sorensen and her husband Ole own Solar Dynamics in Asheville, NC, which provides renewable energy and hydronic heating systems with design and installation services. Contact them at 828-665-8507 or visit their website at www.solardynarnicsnc.com.