 "Photo: Jennifer Johnson")
The Makanda Inn, set to open in October, will feature a straw-bale building design, use recycled and natural materials and be as energy efficient as possible, said contractor Butch Dunn.
Dunn, a native of southern Illinois, started his alternative building company EcoLogic Construction five years ago. Dunn has been involved with construction since age 9 when he first went to work with his father. After attending a building seminar in Washington 12 years ago, Dunn decided to involve himself with eco-friendly construction.
"I feel that we're all going to have to (practice eco-friendly living) eventually," Dunn said. "We can only keep burning materials up the way we are for so long and then we'll have to make some changes. It just feels like the right thing to do."
Dunn said the building's main focus is its straw-bale construction and natural building materials.
Settlers in the Midwest first built straw-bale homes in the 1800s. While building methods have changed, straw-bale constructed dwellings remain inexpensive and eco-friendly alternatives to conventional homes, he said.
The process typically starts by pouring a concrete foundation and erecting a wood framework for the walls. Stacking and tying together straw bales, covering them with a wire mesh and coating them with an inch-and-a-half of concrete form the two-foot-thick walls, Dunn said.
The benefits of straw-bale construction are numerous, said Charlie Howe, a Green Party candidate for state representative of the 115th District. Howe said the building supplies cost roughly half those of a conventionally constructed dwelling, the insulation factor is twice as effective and the concrete coating makes the walls virtually fireproof.
Dunn also described several other eco-friendly building alternatives that will help the inn stay as energy efficient as possible. The basement alone will contain more than four innovations designed to save on utility costs, he said.
Specially designed floors made of paver stone set atop sand and Styrofoam insulated concrete forms will help collect heat let in by the massive bay windows. A masonry heater fireplace and a water heater without a tank will help to provide visitors comfort for relatively little money, Dunn said. The heater warms water as it runs through the pipes, rather than constantly heating a standing supply of water, he said.
The inn will also feature a natural swimming pool that uses natural plant-filtration and solar panels that could generate 6,000 kilowatts of electricity, he said.
Dunn said the improvement to insulation alone is enough to save some serious cash. Dunn currently owns a straw-bale home similar to the inn and he said his average utility bill does not exceed $90 per month.
Janelle Weber, future manager for the inn, said she is excited to offer a unique experience for visitors.
She said her stepfather, Greg Wellmann, decided to open the inn after he taught aviation classes at SIUC. His love for the area and eco-friendly buildings led him to purchase the 18-acre piece of land adjacent to Giant City State Park.
Weber said she hopes the inn will be the first of several built.
One resident said he is excited to see the unique inn go up in his village.
Neighbor and furniture maker Kyle Kinser has been a resident of Makanda since 1974. He said as times change and energy costs continue to rise, people should re-think their everyday habits.
Kinser said he commends the owners for trying a new style of construction and for promoting eco-friendly solutions to save resources.
"We have to start thinking about a whole new paradigm for housing," Kinser said. "I think everything they're doing down there is just a great idea."
Justin Lange can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 258 or jlange@siu.edu.
