Sustainable Retirement #9: An Old House Faces a New Climate
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The historic residence that we are
rehabilitating in preparation to live there during our retirement was built in 1908. A vertical line representing 1908 has been added to the graph, above, which displays annual departure above and below average global temperature, as highlighted today on the
Front Page.
The climate that this unique historical house will endure during its next 107 years will look a lot different than the next 107 years. An almost straight line leads from years when global temperature was the farthest ever below modern averages, to years global temperature has risen to hit highest levels above average in modern history. A home built during a time cooler, milder climate faces a future climate that is warmer and sure to be more violent.
The house is up to this challenge. So is the design. The house enjoys a compact, all-brick, extremely sound and durable construction with a flat roof providing significant protection from violent weather. For example, we will roof with hail resistant material. In the next 107 years, huge floods will afflict the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, which run just miles from this home, but it sits on high ground, in no direct danger from even widespread flooding.
A more detailed report on this project will follow after the builder's cost feasibility report comes in as promised on Monday and the design is confirmed. Until then, on the highest point in the City, just blocks from our home-to-be, sits the beautiful, 19th Century, standpipe water tower at the Compton Reservoir:
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