Anyway, what do I think?
I want to make sure that it isn't a completely un-green idea - just imagine all the eco-terrorists descending on my fragile glass house!
So, the major concerns are ventilation, energy, and privacy. Let me address them in that order.
Ventilation: Ventilation and cross ventilation are important! I am uneasy about all the huge windows and doors, because they do not offer good ways of keeping a steady air-flow. Also, I don't want to sleep with open doors; and I have had enough (two!) burglaries here to believe that I can leave any windows open during the day time.
Energy is a huge issue. Using the sketch for the "glass house" I calculated that roughly 45% of the wall space is rough openings for glassy surfaces - subtract something for door frames etc, let's say we have 40% glass. BTW, all the details can be found in this document.
Glass types: I'll have to choose the right glass. Right now I get a lot of sun and heat in during the day - and at night I loose a lot of heat through the huge window panes. So the goals are:
1. keep warmth indoor in cold times; prevent indoor warmth to spill out at night: low-E
2. keep warmth outside; prevent indoor cool to spill out during the day: ????
Honestly, I am not up-to-date on energy glass, so someone please help me.
Overhang and awnings: The 4' overhangs on the south side are useful in the middle of the day in the summer, but less effective in the afternoon, and throughout the day in fall and winter. I can get awnings and sun shades (for exterior use); the could be attached to extent the overhang.
Shades and blinds: I can get blinds and solar shades (for interior use).
However, if I choose to bring the windows all the way up to the ceiling - and spend addl. 25K on framing to allow these taller windows - it would be pretty silly to clutter up the top of the windows with blinds and such. The traditional Eichler solution is, as far as I know, vertical blinds - but I really find them ugly - at least these, often stained and yellowed plastic strips that most often are bend or turned out of alignment.
Privacy is partly taken care of by having the private rooms more closed to the street, and in general putting in "stoppers" (gate, planting, etc) between the street and the house. But I will still need to factor in some practical window covering system. It would be neat if the house could close itself off at night.
