Behind the Scenes
In the end, how a house lives is as much about little efficiencies as it is about the big picture. And here’s where Tradewinds changes its tack and takes a marked departure from antiquity. Tankless water heaters by Rinnai significantly reduce the energy needed to produce hot water. Automated features courtesy of Advanced Audio Design, this year’s technology integrator, include an astronomical time clock that controls exterior lighting, similarly programmed interior lights that go off when not in use, and window coverings set to deploy in midday, thus minimizing heat gain. Dimmer modules (controllable via touchpad) make mood lighting a snap and reduce unnecessary electrical consumption.
Colonial or Victorian this home is not, but its fresh face can be savored for its honest architecture and efforts toward carbon reduction. Some risks are just worth taking. Perhaps Mark Twain said it best: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”