Introduction

This blog is about the design and construction of our vacation home in Kanab, Utah. We love hiking, we love the red rocks, we love the nearby National Parks, and decided we wanted to spend more time there. So after more than a year of scouting for the right location, we bought a lot in June 2022. Now our plans are ready, and we hope to get the building permit and start construction soon.

It will be a passive house, using much less energy for heating and cooling, while improving comfort year-round. The walls will be constructed using EcoCocon load-bearing straw panels. I will be writing about how this affects the design and building process.

The house will be available as a vacation rental when we’re not there. We want more people to experience the comfort of a passive house, and this helps bring the project within reach financially.

While we wait for construction to start, I’ll write about the design decisions that led to the current house. Once construction starts, you can follow along as the house gets built.