Western North Carolina Development Stage:  Complete Bed/Baths:  3 / 3 Square Feet:  2519 Location:  Blue Ridge Mountains Project Images The Story This Aquarius 2 home is in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the North Carolina side of the Eastern Continental Divide. The solar-energy gathering South of the home is the first thing the visitor sees when approaching this mountaintop fortress. The Aquarius 2 is a medium-sized Enertia® home with a sunspace "tower" that rises the full height of the South side and provides a South view from the master bedroom. Aquarius 2 has a central chimney, perfect for additional thermal mass in a cold climate. The kitchen is the heart of the home and is easily accessible. There is a beautiful view out the windows through the double North wall. The Aquarius has a very open floor plan. The Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, Hearth, Stairwell and upstairs Balcony all flow into each other. The Sunspace area is connected by glass patio doors. The master bedroom suite is on the main floor in this Aquarius, with a connection to the sunspace on the South and the covered porch on the West. Windows high on the South wall let light from the skylites into the bedroom. The balcony and stairs wrap around the massive central chimney. This is one of the two upstairs bedrooms. It has a connecting bathroom. The attic is an important part of the envelope of the Enertia® home. Here the hot air is exhausted in Summer and transferred to the North double wall in the winter. Notice the "silver" coating on the underside of the roof decking. This paint has both reflectivity and low-emissivity. The reflectivity keeps heat in the inner shell in Winter. The low-emissivity keeps rooftop heat from entering the envelope of the home in Summer. Back on the main level, one focal point of the home is the central hearth. The wrap-around porches on the east (left) and north (right) of the house are wonderful places to watch nature without intruding upon it. The astrolabe at the front entrance and the solar tube in the South roof are exterior details that underline the theme of solar energy in this home. Aquarius 2 is rich with architectural design and looks differently beautiful from every angle. It was a LOT of work, but it was worth every minute.