Everyday the Sun provides a limitless supply of power- 6,000 times what the world consumes each and every day. The typical family spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills. Each year, electricity generated from fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars, and accounts for 67% of all U.S. oil consumption.  The good news is that there are a lot of ways to save energy and even make energy at home. (Facts from Mountain View homes)

What I am adding into the Dome now is a collection of high tech compatible components to make it run for as close to “cost free” as possible.  It all started four years ago we searched all the kit companies and chose one. It was very discouraging when it wouldn't go together the 1st 2 times. Finally it did after we threw it up on a CAD computer and altered it substantially. The company with the original design had never actually built one this large. We then found out that none of the insides came with the kit. These costs were never planned for. You got to pick from lots of floor plans but you just got plans. It also was difficult because costs were just skyrocketing out of sight and we were two years behind schedule already.

The Dome was in big trouble. I'm not trained as a builder so I got lots of books about every aspect of building and we started to finish it. No builders I cam e across understand a Dome; it's not square. It’s like building in "space" with no top or bottom. Actually it was easier for me to build this than use contractors since I had no preconceived notions about building a totally new shape. I have transferred all the knowledge I have gained into words and pictures. I hope this will inspired enough of you to try this kind of project and perhaps help, fund the finish this project.

Please add you comments and thoughts to any part of this work. They are very much appreciated. Either add your comments under each section or on one of the social network links. Hopefully this will inspire you to follow your dreams and build energy efficient green structures.

There are lots of things I'm not covering in this brief introduction; that save energy and are interesting building concepts, like the monolithic pour of the cement base (which was 45 ft across and insulating the outside of the footers.) And challenging moments like hanging on to the unconnected arches (37 feet in the air) as I brought them together at the top, etc. That was an exciting moment, I think? It was kink of like sitting in the top of a very tall tree in in a wind storm.

Putting on the roof had to be the most painstaking experience. I had to hang from mountain ropes and cut each shingle separately.  Putting on the roof took almost a year. Moving and standing on the top rung of 40 foot latter's, hauling up shingles, cutting almost every one of them to fit the triangles, overlapping them to shed the rain and caulking them against the roof. Also all the windows had to be flashed and counter flashed. Getting a good seal on the roof is a must since it’s almost all roof.

I wrapped the lower section under the roof in cedar to cut down on maintenance. I purchased enough beautiful rock from a quarry to finish the bottom 4 feet in stone, but haven't gotten to this quite yet. Other things were more pressing.

The Dome can resist about a 200 mph wind with a 10 foot snow load on top; at the same time. This is due to the fact that the wind has nothing to catch on to and the enormous strength of the basic structure. It is the only known structure that gets stronger as it gets larger. There are a complete and very detailed set of architectural and engineering plans for the entire structure that help demonstrate this and many other things.

The 1st year I stayed up there to keep an eye on all the tools that were spread out everywhere. I had no heat, water, bathroom and a very leaky un-shingled roof. The ice shield tar paper saved everything. I lived out of a cooler and brought up jugs of water every few days. Sometimes it would get down to (–15) with lots of snow but I just put on more jackets.

My unsung hero was "RASCAL the CAT", who stayed with me always and pulled me through ruff times.

That next spring, the roof got finished fast and I was able to remove the several dozens of red party plastic cups that were everywhere on the floor inside. 

The windows were another challenge. I covered the frames with thick plastic, then fiberglass tape around the edges and stapled it down tight. Then I crisscrossed more tape right across them to keep them from flexing and blowing out during high winds. It worked pretty well most of the time' but I was up there once a week fixing one or another. When we added window placement to the Dome on paper we had put in 30 large doubled layered bubble skylights and it was to have light everywhere. Especially to collect as the passive sun light moved across the Dome.

Also, on the north wall for even light to do art projects.  Windows look a lot prettier on paper then putting them on and sealing them, way up in the air. The lower ones actually slant inwards. This is a particular challenge to waterproof. Also all these windows bleed heat much faster than the heavily insulated walls. It's absolutely beautiful to look out at the mountain, the woods and large birds that fly across the entire structure. It is also magnificent in the moon and star light. (But different type and less windows next time)

The next project was to build a bathroom. We had drilled a 400 ft well that went through 3 aquifers, but never had put in any tubing to run the water around the Dome without freezing. The main electric box was in, so we no longer needed the generator every day. The day we finally got the well hooked to the inside water pipes I just sat under it as it flowed and thanked the sky above.

Next came usable heat. There was a 1000 gallon underground propane tank and three 30,000 B.T.U. heaters inside but that would cost a fortune to run. It was mainly for an emergency back-up and to supply the "instant – on hot water supply" 9this is a great invention). We also put in a large wood stove. Hot water meant being able to wash in a tub and shower instead of using spray bottles in front of a "space heater."

The second floor was the next task and that was most interesting. A Dome totally supports itself without any inside support structure; unlike a house that actually sets on the rooms.

The second floor went in with one side tied to "a ledger wall" that ran around the inside of the Dome. The other end of the floors (towards the center) went to heavy wood supports that ran down to the floor. This all became a loft that covered half the bottom floor. It also gave us 12 foot ceiling on the 1st floor under the loft and 37 foot ceilings everywhere else.

Then came a set of stairs to replace the ladder to the second floor. Stairs are wonderful but not simple except to walk on.

I started on the two upstairs rooms that each had private bathrooms. The master bedroom had a walk through closet that went into it’s own bathroom. Right now just the piping is ruffed in for both. A hot – tub was supposed to go in the master bathroom but that has been held off due to cost at this time. 

There is also a third floor at the very top. It is a "cupola" that is suspended half below the roof and half above. This room is lined with windows all around so you can see the mountains in every direction. It is a breath taking view above the forest trees. To be in this room is very special and spiritual.

The kitchen floor was ruffed in and two more downstairs rooms also. Most of the electric was now also ruffed in.

The tube from the wood stove ran right up the center (just avoiding the cupola, from the 1st floor; a full 37 feet high and then about six feet above the entire structure.  That was fun to stabilize and insulate as it passed through the floors.

Next I used a two part "closed cell" insulating spray to bring everything up to at least R30 and more as the structure rose higher. Most building lose more heat as they get closer to the top. The foam hardened and gave the structure even more strength. It also stopped any wind penetration. This should be used in all building. Then I increased it with another 12 inches of fiberglass  insulation. This building really holds its heat or cold. At about this time money got real short and I decided to continue to live in the Dome until I could fund and continue to work on it some more.

I spent a lot of time putting in wallboard, which goes up in triangles. It was like working on the Sistine Chapel roof. I stayed on my back at the top of some very tall scaffolds. You learned to take up a lot of tools at the same time.

As I built I took lots of pictures to follow my progress and to encourage myself by watching my progress. I also wrote this blog that tells about what I was up to in detail and also just a lot of personal feeling from living alone on the mountain and building for the 1st time. I’ve added a lot of technical info and lots of links to other Dome sites throughout the country.

This is a work still in progress, just more slowly. It was time to add the geothermal heating system, sub floor heat and cooling systems. This proved to much expense at that moment and I sat back finally after 4 years of 14 hour days and sat by the fire that winter. I needed a break.