·         Stone flooring acting as thermal mass was installed throughout the house. These stones capture the heat during winter days and release them at night, moderating low temperatures at night and lowering the heating cost.  The same stones capture the coolness of the night during the summer months and slowly release them during the day.

·         Lowering the floor in the kitchen and family room areas on the south, or warm, side, by two steps, helps the temperature moderation even more by way of convection. During the summer, cool air which always stays at the lower level due to the buoyancy effect travels from the living room on the north, cool side, to the family room, keeping the whole house cooler. Then, during the winter, warm air travels from the warm side of the home where the family room is located, to the cool side, where the living room at two steps higher is located, moderating the temperature of the entire house.