This house, smart and wired, was my favorite stop at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. I have long supported reusing, recycling, efficiency, and renewable resources. But I have new eyes on what can and should be done since I am buying a house built during the Civil War in Iowa and remodeling it (see my McCollister farm posting on August 10th). I will undoubtedly have shifting goals and plans related to this house as my husband and I immerse ourselves in this endeavor, but one of them is to investigate how to bring what the modern world has to offer into a house from the 19th century, all the while retaining the things that the Victorians put into it that led to it being so charming. I want to be charmed and warm. Preferably without being poor. Or dramatically enlarging my carbon footprint.
Impossible? The house is built from brick, which offers special challenges, so perhaps a little thinking inside and outside the box would help. I have applied to be a museum roommate, and one of the things that I would hope to garner out of the month is some ideas about how to go about making such a home green without losing character. The house was built after about 30 years of farming the property--so they had plenty of time to scope out the spot that offered warmth in the winter months balanced with coolness in the summer. Iowa is blessed with weather, often severe, and at times quite unpredictable.
The opportunity to spend a month in a different kind of institution of higher learning is an opportunity to get input on how to do this project right. We are just starting out, and so know more about the problems at this point than the solutions. This smart house is an inspiration, something to strive towards, all the while working to maintain the historic charm that the house has lived with over time.
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