World of Environmental Design Magazine

Over the past 6 years I have had the opportunity to visit and work with the Jorg and Helen Ostrowski (owners) of the Alberta Sustainable Home/Office (ASH - http://www.ecobuildings.net) on a number of occasions.

Each visit to the house in suburban Calgary is an enlightening experience that leaves you driving home with green designs for your own home in mind. Perhaps the greatest pleasure is an Eco-evening when the opportunity presents itself to sit on the edge of the centrally located masonry heater (fireplace) in the dim evening light, listening to radical new ideas about environmental design and the reorganization of a sustainable society.

I have been particularly intrigued with the quintuple pane window system, the cold climate passive solar design, the refrigerator free kitchen, the composting toilet, and the rainwater collection system.