Skillful Means is a design/build firm with offices in Berkeley and Junction City, California. We specialize in the use of healthy, sustainable materials and comfortable, energy-efficient designs, and in particular have designed and built dozens of projects utilizing plastered straw-bale walls.
January 4th, 2010 at 5:14 am
I am very interested in what you are doing and in learning more about building a home off the grid. I am very interested in incorporating traditional architecture from around the world into this design. I am fascinated with the concept of the Russian “pechka” (or oven), and wanted to inquire as to your opinion on its practicality in a California foothill climate. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_oven) It uses very little wood in comparison to a pot belly stove or fireplace and due to its design and central location in a home, heats many rooms of a house at once. It can be used for many purposes, as well.