It's just a step to the left

Tomorrow or the next day, we're off to Woodbury again to meet the architect and high-step through the long grass and tame sheep currently in residence to fiddle about with the pegs and string lines. It's mid-summer and the weather is glorious, so most house sitings seem possible. But - we'll have to' stand' in our double doors leading to the long verandah and, no doubt, shade our eyes as we all imagine where the sun will be precisely at noon in mid-winter.

Even more importantly, I'll need to stand at the kitchen window and see just how much setting sun is going to drive me crazy on summer evenings. Yes, it's a kind of westerly aspect kitchen, part of a long wing incorporating large farm dining table, pantry and laundry, and all you morning sun/easterly kitchen fans can keep it zipped. There's a big verandah off that part of the house, too, so between siting and clever planting, I shouldn't have to find myself peeling the spuds while fighting off sunstrike. And if the worst happens, aren't there such things as pretty blinds these days?

All part of the joy, and as the architect, Desmond, is currently working on a selection of site maps showing a variety of house positions in relation to sun, shadow, and shade, I remain optimistic that between us we will get it right. Have I mentioned that this vast enterprise is taking place on a mere 1246 sq. metres? It's hardly a lifestyle block - not an emu or artichoke in sight - but just big enough to really enjoy planting out and playing around with. Compared with other sections, ours looks like a nail paring hanging onto the edge of a vast finger paddock. Pictures next time to document a series of befores and afters.

About the solar: we're going with Azzuro solar cylinders, compact tubes NZ govt approved, German design, apparently highly efficient and ideal for local conditions. Well, they would say that, wouldn't they, but after a lot of research, we're happy at this point. We'll need about 18, two lots of nine on northerly aspects of dormer windows close to the large hot water cylinder. Not cheap, at around $10,000 for system and water cylinder, but it seems crazy not to these days, especially as hot water heating is estimated to take up about a third of your electricity bill, power is a current issue (pardon the pun) and the cylinders are wet-back compliant. Come winter, reduced sun, the fire will come into its own.

Yes, of course we're having a log burner - an Environment Canterbury approved modern one with virtually zero particle emissions, so we are trying to be ecologically sound and sensible. Also, as the name Woodbury might suggest, there is no shortage of sustainable firewood. The fact that the log burner glories in the name Lady Kitchener is neither here nor there ... where do they get these names? The same place they name cars?

On the green theme, we're also planning to install a modern septic tank system called Biolytix, which apparently involves worms and recycles your grey waste water back to irrigate the land, all except the vegetable garden (something to do with sewage, I haven't asked too closely).

I am currently trying to fend off "What if we had a windmill?" hypotheticals from Keith, as I'm having enough trouble fitting house, garage, workshop, water tank and other essentials on site as it is. Maybe the section's too small - maybe we should buy another, larger section! That would solve a few problems but no, wait ... let's just not get a windmill. Sometimes the obvious is the answer.