How would you like to build a new house for around $160/square foot AND have your heating bill for the entire year be $300 (or pay $0.00 if you opt for the net zero upgrade!). Crazy, right? Not with G-O Logic Homes. These homes have great design with every single detail well thought out. They have a fabulous website and have won award after award. By using solar, great insulation, the best windows, and a host of other tricks, they’ve configured homes that can be heated with a small heater at the cost of $300/year IN MAINE! I’m telling you to check these out because they are phenomenal!
Fred and I hope to one day be on the happy trail to Maine… once there it would be ideal to be situated on a piece of land near water (water view would be optimal, but we’ll see). Fred likes land, woods, creatures. I like to be able to walk to a general store, a library, and ideally a bakery (hee hee) and NO CREATURES, ugh.Where we end up will be hopefully somewhere in between! We love Charleston, SC and all it has to offer, we have just fallen in love with Maine. Where do you hope to end up? Thoughts please! We have time, we’re not ready to move yet! Would love your thoughts and opinions! Right now, after 30-some days of 90+++ heat, I’m thinking more along the lines of the north pole! However, just thinking about Maine, in the winter, in one of these architectural gems puts a smile on my face!
I’m telling you, you’ve got to check out this company’s website… and the quick video tour that explains things (click on link, then scroll to bottom of page and you’ll see the video, you won’t believe it!) From the GOLogic website:
In Maine, the standard for green design and construction has been officially raised with the completion and certification of The GO Home in Belfast, which is the first Passive House Certified Home in Maine and only the 12th Passive House in the entire United States. This smart and small 1500 square foot, three-bedroom residence packs an elegant design punch, while achieving super energy efficiency at construction costs comparable to a standard home.As a passive house, the homeowners will see a 90% reduction in their heating bill, resulting in a cool $300 dollars per year for space heating, while enjoying all the comforts of the super insulated building shell during the winter months. With an additional investment in solar panels, The GO Home has been made net zero, creating all the energy on site that it needs to provide heat, hot water and electricity for the home owners who will not see an energy bill for the next 25 years.GO Logic, the architectural design build firm that created The GO Home, conceived of the project to bring design and energy performance in line with affordability- which they have at the construction cost of $160/ SF. Combining the traditional good looks of the Maine vernacular with contemporary design and details, The GO Home is comfortable in its rural setting, but does not forgo the pleasure of great design. With beautiful wood/ aluminum clad windows imported from Germany, a timber frame from Thorndike Maine and cabinets from local woodworkers, the interior is well crafted and timeless. In addition to being the first certified passive house in Maine, The GO Home will round out its sustainable building credentials with LEED Platinum rating, the USGBC’s highest rating for environmentally sustainable buildings.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
ARTFOODHOME.COM 
Hello Barbara, I am a native Charlestonian and grew so tired of the heat and humidity I considered purchasing a last minute plane ticket to visit a friend in her oceanfront home near Bath, Maine. Well….I decided to spend six days in Asheville, NC instead and had a fantastic time! It wasn’t as cool as Maine but the evenings were lovely. I just found your blog tonight and have been reading through it. What fun! We have very similar interests. I am Assistant Director of the Honors College of the College of Charleston and my husband is a professor. We live in a 100 year old home in Charleston. Best, Maria Mansfield Richardson
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Thank you for your comment Maria! Bath is a wonderful place… We’ve only driven through (and up and down several streets to look at homes and dream, ha ha), very close to where we normally visit which is Port Clyde and Monhegan Island… We cannot wait to arrive on the island this year… This has been one hot summer hasn’t it? Just when you think you can’t take it anymore… It gets worse, ha… Our winter and early spring is quite nice, so I won’t complain, but… I find these GOLOGIC homes to be such a smart idea… $300 gas bill or upgrade to the net zero option and pay $0! I love that! During the hot months we dream and look at houses online in Maine, in the winter we plan what we’ll do to our house if we stay! We live in the Windermere (neighborhood, a short walk to EarthFare, the library, Starbucks, Half Moon, etc.) Great area. Charleston is a beautiful city full of the most exquisite architechture! Our house is 81 years old, has a lot of charm! I am so glad you found my blog, thanks for stopping by!
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So nice to hear from you, Barbara. I shop at Earth Fare frequently and as a matter of fact I am having a pedicure at the nail shop in South Windermere right now. My friend ‘s home is in Small Point, Maine (12 miles east of Bath). It is remote and lovely. I spent a week there and would like to return (with my own rental car) so that I can explore more of Maine. Are you heading back to Maine soon? Have a great trip! I have already told a couple of friends about the GOLogic homes. She lives on the Isle of Palms and has property near Folly Beach and wants to build a cottage. Our house is on Huger Street in Hmpton Park Terrace, two blocks from the Citadel. It is a work in progress! Be well. Maria
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Thank you Barbara! From time to time we talk about building….again. I suppose it’s like childbirth. As the years go by, the intense pain is slowly erased and you focus only on the rewards, or so they say.
The only way we would build would be if we could build an affordable green home. So, this really intrigues me.
Also going to pass it on to friends!
Thanks so much for your daily blog!
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Hey Elizabeth! I LOVE these houses! Can you imagine living without an electric bill (or without much of one?), did you watch the video? Brilliant! I saw that they started building in Michigan! Woot woot!! These are the ultimate in cool design as well!
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