The Draw Permaculture Sanctuary and Water's Edge Nursery

Nathaniel Larson and Shyam Gray own and operate the Water's Edge Nursery which is coupled with “The Draw”, a non-profit, to establish a land based community that puts the principles of sustainability into practice. Their solar PV system is off-grid and includes battery storage and backup generation that is rarely used. Solar thermal is used for hot water and in-floor heat. A passive solar greenhouse attached to the house provides additional heat and food!

Their home was constructed with straw bales which provide a low carbon footprint and good insulation. An integrated masonry wood heat system uses stones to store heat and a stainless steel heat exchanger to transfer heat to water without mechanical assistance (no pumping needed). ​

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Type of system:  Solar PV and solar thermal 
System size: 2.5kW solar PV and a 124 sq. ft. solar thermal 
Installation information: SOLutions (PV) and owners (thermal)