Sealing the Envelope

A key feature of an eco-house is a drum-tight envelope. This shot of the outside wall shows the care taken to seal all the insulation panels with foil tape.

Shakuhachi Concert on Grounds

My good friend Richard Chenhall came to stay a couple of months ago and gave a superb impromptu shakuhachi performance on the south side of the house. Even the birds stopped to listen.

Community Comes Together for House Raising Ceremony

The house raising, or "muneage" ceremony was held on a beautiful mid-May afternoon. Around twenty friends and neighbors gathered for a uniquely conceived set of rituals. As the video portrays, rice and sake are poured on the exterior walls to purify and bless the house and its future occupants.

A party followed and much merriment was had by all! Thanks to all who came--a truly memorable event.

Imported materials arrive from the UK!

On the 19th of May all the windows, doors, insulation and roofing/siding shingles arrived by container from the UK. Big thanks to all the suppliers, Jeffrey Burnham from Davies Turner and Ms. Murabe from Best Shipping in Kobe, and Alan White at Quay Warehousing Southampton, for making all this possible!

Check out the video diary of all the carpenters and helpers unloading the two massive containers full of stuff. We unloaded something like 7 tonnes in 2 hours! Good job everyone!

Great Service from Quay Warehousing Southampton

Check out this pic of all the insulation waiting for shipment in Quay Warehousing's Southampton warehouse. This is the stuff that now fills my walls, floor and roof! Wonderful service from Alan White there.

Tour of the UK window factory

A shot from the factory at Futuremost during a visit there in Feb. great service, great windows, and all 37 of the doors and windows arrived on time at the port.

Frame goes up!

Only a few weeks since the foundations were completed and the frame is going up fast!

Almost completed as of writing. Check out all the pics!