Author Archives: Jonathan

About Jonathan

Jonathan is a geospatial systems integrator, cross-country runner, husband and father. For as long as he can remember, he has been fascinated by systems. This blog explores the integration of building systems and surrounding site systems such as vegetation, hydrology and wildlife.

Three Eastern White Pines

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Jonathan

A stand of three mature and stately Eastern White Pine trees watches over the back lawn, driveway and woodlot (shown here in the context of the garden shed). The lowest branches are about thirty feet from the ground, so even … Continue reading →

Posted in Inventory | Leave a comment

Sizing a rainwater cistern

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Jonathan

What dimensions would a rainfall cistern need to be to (a) hold all the rain that falls on the roof over the average year, and (b) satisfy all the indoor water use of a family of four for an average … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Dreaming of metal roofing during Hurricane Irene

Posted on August 28, 2011 by Jonathan

As Hurricane Irene knocks wrist-thick branches from the trees around our house onto the roof, I can’t help thinking of Stewart Brand’s How Buildings Learn, and his observations (p. 114 – 118) about maintenance based on choices of building materials: … Continue reading →

Posted in Design | Comments Off

A shade model of the whole property

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Jonathan

After several false starts with handmade terrain and paper plot plans, I’ve discovered Google Earth Terrain.  Downloading this data for my neighborhood has enabled me to adjust the model so the parcel boundaries, fences, trees, roads and neighboring structures all … Continue reading →

Posted in Inventory | Comments Off

Dame’s Rocket and Bittersweet Nightshade

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Jonathan

The botany books and Internet searches have helped to identify two more wildflowers in the backyard:  Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) and Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara).  Dame’s Rocket is “prohibited” in Massachusetts due to its non-native invasive behavior.  (It that sounds … Continue reading →

Posted in Inventory | Comments Off

Chelidonium and Garlic Mustard

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Jonathan

It’s Spring and flowers are beginning to bloom in the back yard.  Flowers provide one of the easiest ways to identify a plant.  I now know two of the plants that are filling up the woodlot by name.  One has … Continue reading →

Posted in Inventory | Comments Off

The model grows up to the rafters

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Jonathan

Tonight I finished the framing all the way to the top of the house and added the back porch.  The below two images show the framing alone and then the structure with walls filled in. Next, I’ll finish modelling the … Continue reading →

Posted in Inventory | Leave a comment

Archaeology under the staircase

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Jonathan

In the back corner of the front hall closet, I discovered a small square section of the wall that had been cut out and then nailed back together. I pried it out and peered into the space below the staircase … Continue reading →

Posted in Inventory | Leave a comment

Modeling the first floor’s structure

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Jonathan

With the foundation and its framing in the SketchUp model, there’s something to hold up the first floor. So I’ve modelled the floor (including holes for heating vents), the framing of the exterior walls and the interior walls (see below). … Continue reading →

Posted in Inventory | Leave a comment

Modeling our building using Google Sketchup

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Jonathan

Our property’s value is split unevenly between the land and the house — the land is worth much more than the house. On paper, at least. To the people who live on the property, though, the house gets the lion’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Inventory | Leave a comment