Thompson Plans Weblog

Far from an eternal question, yet a situation threatening the American landscape for generations. The sad reality is some of the ugliest residential architecture of all time is what we have to view as we speed down the interstate. With each house having countless steep gables stacked on top of each other, one can feel they are being accosted by a rip saw blade. I am not a fan of the current state of the housing market, where the majority of homes being built are from the same basic few stock plan ideas. Most stock plans attempt to see how many gables they can “incorporate” into space. They look like a miniature mountain range. Unfortunately (especially for the future generations) the stock plan industry and the internet is facilitating this decline of aesthetics. “Form follows function”, made famous by Louis Sullivan is now “form follows ridges”. So, for the vast majority of stock plans, I say just say no.

Designing a home that that will provide the most for the people living in it, will most likely demand individual planning. Even on a fifty foot wide lot, there are site factors worth considering, not to mention the unique qualities of the people living there. However, we all know that takes many hours to do, and done by someone who knows what do look for, which makes it cost prohibitive for most people. But, that’s the truth.

This opinion is just that. It in no way represents the management or staff of this company.

Nanosolar is perhaps the most exciting new development on the energy horizon I know of. Silicon-wafer based solar cells have been the basic option for anyone wanting to generate electricity from the sun. Despite many improvements over the last 30 years, they are still expensive and difficult to install, and if aesthetics are a factor, well… forget it. When you are trying to integrate these into an older neighborhood you are most likely asking for a fight.

Nanosolar is a new technology that seems to offer much greater flexibility as well as lower installation cost. With nanosolar tiny solar cells are printed onto flexible materials offering possibilities for new rooftop applications. According to the Nanosolar web site “On June 16, 2004, Nanosolar achieved a historic achievement: the first time that someone managed to simply roll-print the semiconductor of a solar cell that can be as efficient and durable as a conventional crystalline silicon cell.” Imagine if this can be incorporated into everyday roofing materials, which is the suggestion.

Nanosolar says that they can produce these cells for $1.00 per watt, which is one-tenth the cost of traditional silicon solar cells. If so, that is huge, especially combined with greater flexibility for installation. Move over power plants.

Nanosolar http://www.nanosolar.com/about.htm