2006 Minnesota Solar Tour

A 25' x 26' sunroom was added to the 1915 home in 1996. The sunroom includes one east-facing window and four south-facing windows, each 46" wide and 74" tall. Although the home nearly doubled in size, the heat bill did not; in fact, it was lower in eight out of the ten past years than the average of the previous six years for the smaller-size home. A reflective outside shutter is controlled by garage door openers and, when closed, holds the cold out in the winter months and the heat out during those hot July days. On cool days it reflects more heat into the room. Mr. Lahr likes to experiment with electric vehicles and has converted a three-wheeler to full electric power. An extra bonus is that Solar Tour visitors are invited to take a taste test and tour of their organically grown garden produce

System Components

Directions

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From the Green Institute, head north on 21st Avenue and turn right at 28th Street. Turn left (north) at Hiawatha Avenue. Take the I-94 West ramp. Take the I-394 West exit (Exit 231A). Take the Highway 169 exit and bear right onto the Highway 169 North ramp. Take the Olson Memorial Highway (Highway 55) West exit and follow Olson Memorial Highway (Highway 55) through Buffalo to Maple Lake. Turn left at Oak Avenue North (Country Road 8). The site is at the southeast corner of Highway 55 and Oak Avenue North (Country Road 8), the only set of stoplights in Maple Lake.

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