Solargon: conservation of energy through intelligent design and utilization of super efficient building components to create very green cabins and homes.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

This Solargon "Smart Cabin" is located at the ICS-RM manufacturing plant in Loveland,Colorado. This super efficient building far exceeds any conventionally built structure for heat gain and retention. You can click on the link below to see real time temperatures inside and out of the performance of our cabin. This 100% passive solar 20' model loses direct sunlight at about 1:00 PM due to the larger building to the west, which is reflected in the data.http://welserver.com/WEL0122/

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Solargon Twins

The new Solargon 30 gives you 700 sq. ft of open living space. By combining two together with a 12'x 12' link you end up with over 1500 sq. ft as seen in this concept home above.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Space saving beds are perfect for Solargons


We've liked the space-saving sofa that transforms into bunks and traditional Murphy bed from UK retailer Bonbon Trading; they've combined those two concepts into "Lollipop," a horizontal folding bunk bed with a couple of cool options.
They can add a folding table to the front, to create additional workspace when the bottom bed is folded, and shelving on the top (pictured above). The whole thing is just 31 cm (just about 12 inches) deep, making it easy to turn any room into the guest/kids room. Hit the jump to see more pics, check out Apartment Therapy's cool round-up of horizontal-opening Murphy beds, and cross your fingers that these smart less-is-more space-savers will be available in the US soon. ::Bonbon Trading via ::The Design Blog

Solargon Cabins and Homes: Solargon Concept Village

Solargon Cabins and Homes: Solargon Concept Village

Friday, March 20, 2009

Monday, March 16, 2009

Poly vs Soy

Polyurethane spray foam was invented in a laboratory accident in the first half of the twentieth century. Originally used as coatings in aviation applications, foam polyurethane products evolved and were eventually applied to home building situations where hermetic sealing by insulation was desired. Over the years spray foam went through ups and downs: at everlasting holy war with fiberglass; formulating a version that discouraged mold growth; making the price more reasonable; and of course - how environmentally friendly can a ultra-efficient house really be filled to the gills with polyurethane?
Enter the BioBased soy-oil based spray foam product. BioBased Spray Foam Insulation is a spray foam with all the good traits of its polyurethane forerunner, like being able to hermetically seal a house to ultra efficiency - while being installed in a fraction of the time that fiberglass takes. BioBased ratchets this up a notch by formulating their product from soy bean oil, a renewable resource which also renders the insulation inert - no more mold.
As any sage in your life may have told you at one point or the other, there is no such thing as a free lunch. So what’s the catch with soy foam? The product performs, it delivers serious cost and environmental impact reductions to the home owner and it is renewable. But soy is a monolithic crop. It has taken biodiversity out of thousands of American farms and pushed fresh foods to an afterthought in the place of cheap and easy to prepare processed protein substitutes. Is a product that would encourage more expansion of soy bean growth really as good for the environment as the end user merchandise? In the grand scheme of environmental impact, maybe polyurethane foam is the better product after all. A thorough study is in order.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009


Scott Kirk positions the scaffolding for the next set of roof panels.


Makasha's Solargon Assembly


This Solargon Smart Cabin has found a home in the mountains of northern New Mexico. Set beside a stream this will be the office for our dear friend and solargoner Makasha with the Hummingbird Community Ranch.
Thanks to all who gave so much to bring this project together.