Eco-friendly at the fair

Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, and see the house that you can live in for free. That's right, free.

Electric bill? Forget about it. Gas bill? It never shows up.

We're talking about a net zero house here. Energy used in the house is made by the house. Operational costs are a big, fat zero. And the beautiful fittings inside the house, they're made with Mother Nature in mind.

If you're thinking you saw it all last year, think again.

"This is the biggest and best Ecohouse so far," said Rachel Maloney, owner of Natural Built Home and veteran of the fair's past four Ecohouses.

Experience the latest in living beautifully with a small ecological footprint. Walk under the solar chimney and enter through a two-story wall of glass -- south-facing triple-panes that give lots of light, with warmth in winter, but not in summer.

Check out the bathroom. See the toilet with the sink on top? You're looking at the future, folks: a two-handled flusher that uses gray water.

Gray water, you ask? That's a fancy phrase for not pristine. Wash your hands in the sink, and the water flows into the toilet tank for flushing, taking an efficient little detour on its way to the sewer.

Notice that the sink, toilet and shower are lined up in a row and surrounded by vivid blue tile. That's how it's done in Japan and Europe.

"Keep wet items in a wet area," Malone said. It's tidier and more efficient. The shiny tile is recycled glass, of course.

Look down. That's Marmoleum on the floor. It doesn't stink, like a vinyl floor, and it's safe, durable, easy to clean and colorful. Most of all, it's totally recyclable.

The same can be said of the carpet. When you're done with your carpet, you don't throw it away. No, it's recycled -- really, truly recycled. It becomes new carpet, and does so repeatedly. It's far better than ordinary carpet that's headed to the landfill, or maybe "recycled" by being turned into a park bench on its way to the landfill.

Cork on the kitchen's floor is just like that on the floors of European churches. It's quiet, easy on the feet and from a totally renewable source, the cork tree.

Speaking of trees, check out the counter tops made of crushed walnut shells -- from Minnesota, naturally.

Ladies, don't skip the mechanical room. It's not dull, nor is it for men only. There's magic there. That's where pipes planted deep in the back yard work to keep your tushie warm in winter and cool in summer, all while saving you money and the environment trouble. Sound too good to be true? It's geothermal -- and experts can explain how it works.

Direct your eyes to the electric meter. That's no regular ticker. It spins backward. Yes, sir, this little deal allows you to sell the electricity you collect back to the utility company, which has to buy it at the going rate. It's the law.

Don't believe that solar energy works in Minnesota? Well, Minnesota has the same sun energy as Houston, don't you know. It's just distributed differently. In fact, we're better at solar energy than Southern states because we're cooler. This house will make more electricity than you need on long, sunny summer days. The utility will cut you a check. Or you can just keep it as a credit to use on short, cloudy winter days, when it's not making enough.

Step outside onto the beautiful paver patio and driveway. Rain and snow melt don't run off this surface, but percolate into the ground, qualifying you for the Minneapolis Storm Water credit, reducing fees you pay to the city.

Don't miss the electric car in the green-roofed carport. Throw in a couple of solar panels and the car can run for free, too. It pays for itself in about five years, "then it's 40 years of free driving," said solar designer and installer Rebecca Lundberg, with Powerfully Green.

Stand back now and admire this 2,500-square-foot, four-bedroom, two-bathroom house. Picture yourself living in one like this in town, or maybe on that vacation property up north. It's just $630,000, after state and federal rebates, including everything but the lot.

Of course you can buy the fair's model.

"We can make that happen for a discount," said architect Marc Sloot of Sala Architects. "Just give us a call."

Karen Youso • 612-673-4407