BOULDER. Work began last week on a solar-powered replacement for the home of 78-year-old Bobra Goldsmith, known as “llama lady,” who lost her house Jan. 7 to a 3,000-acre range fire that tore through the Boulder County ranch where she raises llamas and alpacas.

Gathering at Bobra Goldsmith’s home site: Brett Steury and Mary Coonce of Porchfront Homes, Goldsmith, and Matt Grandsaert and Tim Webb from Integral Engineering. Goldsmith’s llamas won grand awards at the 2009 National Western Stock Show.

“This is going to be very energy efficient, getting a high percentage of its operating power from solar and super energy-efficient construction,” said Mary Coonce, who together with husband Tim Coonce are principals in Boulder-based Porchfront Homes. “We expect to complete construction in late fall.”

Included in the replacement home’s features are 4.73 kilowatts of solar photovoltaic roof panels, a solar domestic hot water system, and passive solar elements to provide natural heating and cooling. The old home, Coonce noted, had been a passive design dating from the 1970s, with nowhere near the energy efficiency the Porchfront design will provide.

Goldsmith has been living in temporary housing on the ranch site off Neva Road and N. 45th Street, close to where Porchfront crews are at work on a new foundation. Her home and possessions were sole casualty of the wind-whipped fire; all 120 of her award winning llamas and alpacas escaped harm and no other homes were destroyed. News of the fire drew wide support for Goldsmith as she recouped from the loss and made plans to rebuild.

Coonce offered special thanks to several organizations who rallied to help in the fire’s wake, including Tim Webb and Matt Grandsaert of Integral Engineering, architect Richard Sanchez, Colorado Mini Excavating, American Pride Co-op, Bird RV, and solar supplier REC, which is providing the PV panels at reduced cost. She added that the Boulder County Land Use Department had been exceptionally helpful in processing her requests for temporary housing and a building permit.

Porchfront Homes, builder of energy efficient custom homes and neighborhoods, is located at 1847 Yarmouth Avenue in Boulder, and can be reached at 303-442-8453, or on the web at www.porchfronthomes.com.

-END-