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The house on 1006 Heap Street does not stand out among its
neighbors. The tan and green two-story Southwestern house
aesthetically blends into its lot but is not bold or outlandish.
The inside is no different. Living room, kitchen, dining space,
bedrooms, bathrooms, study. All of the key ingredients to a
single-family home.
But the 2,000 square foot stucco house on 1006 Heap Street
is different; the fact that no one can tell is what makes it so
extraordinary.
Brad began the research for his house in 1998 through three
independent studies in design, codes and planning, and construction, utilizing experts in the local community.
He then partnered with James Lazok, an independent contractor with 20 years of experience, to shape his
ideas into reality.
"Having lived all my life in Prescott, I was excited to see someone try to instigate a new thought process in the
community. It's the cutting edge in where we should go with the future of building," Lazok said. "As a contractor,
I learned a lot more about sustainable harvested wood, ecologically integrated architecture and sustainable
land use planning. I'm now a lot more conscientious of the environment and the effect we have on environment
in the building process."
The "Mercury House," as it is called, was designed with a variety of principles in mind, Brad said. "We wanted
to minimize site disturbance and destruction by viewing the natural features of the land as design opportunities,
not as an obstacle to development. We wanted to maximize the use of local resources as alternatives to non-
local resources, create self-sufficiency, mimic natural systems while providing for the needs of the house's
occupants and design alternative systems to exceed the expectations of the house's occupants in terms of
convenience, performance and cost of operation. All of the materials in the house were selected based on their
environmental impact, cost and general appropriateness in their application."
Standing right outside the front door, no one would suspect a 4,000 gallon
fiberglass tank is beneath his or her feet.
Inside, locally harvested Ponderosa pine, which had been cut down for the development of the Hassayampa
Golf Course, has been used for flooring, the staircase, and for some doors and ceilings. National Forest
Stewardship Council certified sustainably harvested Douglas fir wood was used for all of the wall frames.
The house is also within the top five percent of insulated homes, which substantially reduces energy use. Brad
and contractor James Lazok utilized an energy efficient framing technique, cellulose insulation made from
recycled Arizona Republic newspapers in the walls, and triple paned and argon
gas filled windows, among other materials. In the living room, and upstairs in one
of the bedrooms sit a gas and wood stove, respectively, that will be used to heat
the house in winter, if necessary. Because of the insulation used, Brad said, one
log per day should heat the entire house.
Upstairs, a door from the master bedroom leads to a small balcony outside. The
solar water heater, built into the roof, is barely noticeable.
More than just living in an environmentally friendly house, Brad lives the life-style
of a conservationist. He and his girlfriend, Emily, use approximately 35 gallons of
water per day, reduce waste, recycle, compost and use alternative transportation
(the house is a convenient 1.5 miles from downtown Prescott).
"I learned I must evaluate available resources and manage their use
in an efficient and responsible way. This process was fundamentally interdisciplinary, experiential and highly
demanding. The design and construction of my house involved moving from the conception of the idea to the
completion of the house. Now that I have completed the project, and my undergraduate education is coming to
completion, I look to the future and all that I still have to learn. I am excited to continually grow and find my
place in the world."
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