Ever notice how the smallest of choices, or what you perceive to be non-important decisions, can irrevocably change your life? Opening the mail in March 2001 seemed to be one of those non-events, until my husband decided to go through the “throw away stack” of junk mail. We had received a letter from the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program informing us of our eligibility to submit a grant proposal if we were interested in mitigating further flood damage to our home. If accepted, the grant would help our house more effectively resist further flood damage. This could be accomplished in a variety of ways including raising the existing home or building a new structure. I threw the letter away because it seemed like too much trouble. As I am the paperwork guru in the house, I wasn’t eager to wade through the inevitable red tape required to create and submit a grant proposal. But, my husband thought it warranted further investigation.
And as they say, “The rest is history.”



Now, after two years of blood, sweat, and tears of pain and joy, the Dome of a Home
( aka Serenity by the Sea) is born. Labor pain is a very accurate synonym of the building process: pain, frustration, tears, fears, and ultimately joy. Times where you believe the painful process will never end dominate during the “contract”ions.

We learned so much from the experience. First and foremost, I learned trash should stay trash and it should be immediately discarded before hubby makes it home.
Seriously, the lessons learned could fill the proverbial book of do’s and don’ts. Our experiences made clear the necessity and importance of being involved in the decision making process. Trusting others to create your dream is a major mistake, even if they claim to be professionals. Regardless of degrees, licenses, promises, and tall tales, the bottom line is that you must educate yourself. (Oh, and don’t forget to plan floor space for the padded room you will need once you have finished. Straightjacket optional)

After spending a couple of months away, we recently returned to the dome. With fresh eyes and a rejuvenated heart, we could appreciate what the last two years of work had produced. Several observers have also expressed their appreciation for the diligence and fortitude required to build the dome. Many said they had been concerned about the aesthetics of the dome and were very pleasantly surprised at its beauty.


With several storms under our belt by now, 2006, I am even more convinced that we did the right thing when we bulldozed our previous home to build the Dome of a Home. I know that Ivan, 2004, would have definitely washed our home away, as it did several of our neighbor's homes. Even with all of the heartache, tears of pain, and mountains of frustration, we are still glad we took the leap and seized the opportunity to build a house more suitable for the beach than our last.

The most complicated issue requiring the most vigorous exertion of mental energy was the heating/cooling system in the dome. Our overall design utilizes solar energy, geo-thermal energy and the 500 tons of thermal mass inherent in the shell that acts as an energy battery. Because of the intense humidity on the beach, the duct work in our previous home was a constant source of mold and mildew. Wanting to avoid that dilemma again, we researched and found the Hydro-Air System. Unlike conventional systems that heat or cool by forcing air through large, bulky ducting, hydronic air systems deliver total comfort without any ducting whatsoever. Instead of ducting, insulated Pex plumbing pipe delivers 42 degree chilled water to our 9 individual Hydro-Air units. Hydro-Air utilizes small, efficient hydronic fan coil wall units in each room that distributes cooling energy from a geo-thermal unit or a standard outdoor air conditioning unit. Hydro-Air’s owner, Tom, was very helpful in our unusual endeavor in marrying the Hydro-Air units with a geo-thermal system. Loren, Hydro-Air’s engineer, calculated what would be the most efficient tonnage (4 tons) for the dome. It will be interesting how often we actually need to use the system. www.bio-radiant.com



For its energy saving qualities, we chose to use a Florida Heat Pump geo-thermal unit. Florida Heat Pump was founded in 1969 with the goal of producing the finest water source heat pumps to conserve the Earth’s energy and to protect the environment. Florida Heat Pumps can reduce your heating and cooling costs by 30% to 60%. Unlike other systems that have to create heat to warm the pool, this system takes the same excess energy from the house or earth and transfers it to the pool. A thermostat regulates the temperature of the pool, making this one of the most efficient and effective ways to heat a swimming pool.



In the nine years we have lived on Pensacola Beach, we have bought 4 air-conditioning units. Storm surges and salt air reduce an outdoor unit’s lifetime significantly. The system we are installing has the unit’s components in the ground or inside the house. Adverse environmental conditions will no longer affect the longevity of the unit to such a dramatic extent. The design also reduces outdoor noise and air pollution – always a plus!

Florida Heat Pump developed the Vertical Energy System (Closed Loop) that we used. www.fhp-mfg.com This system utilizes the natural thermal properties of the earth by circulating water or an antifreeze solution through a closed loop network of plastic pipe that is inserted into vertical wells. The loops cool the freon in the Florida Heat Pump. The Florida Heat Pump then chills the air that is run through the Hydro Air units. We required 7 wells at a depth of 250’ to run the nine-loop Hydro-Air units. The nine Hydro-Air units cool using 6 zoned thermostats. The ground at 250’ is a fairly constant temperature of 70 degrees. Conventional air units use a fan to move ambient temperature air across the condenser coils of the air-conditioner to cool the freon from a hot gas to a cool liquid. Alternatively, geo-thermal units use the constant ground temperature to bring water or antifreeze across the condensing coils to change the freon from a hot gas to a cool liquid. Because air temperature can exceed 105 degrees and ground temperature remains a fairly constant 70 degrees, GEO-THERMAL IS 300 TIMES AS EFFICIENT THAN THE CONVENTIONAL AIR UNITS .



Dave Phillips, President of Energy Design Corporation, provided the geo-thermal design , the Florida Heat Pump and AquaCal equipment needed for our home and pool. The Florida Heat Pump provided the cooling unit for the home, while the AquaCal equipment will be used to heat the swimming pool when necessary. With commercial and residential experience, Dave Phillips was prepared when he realized that Mark wanted to combine a geo-thermal system with the Hydro-Air units. He recommended we contact Bob Blythe, owner and engineer of Blythe Engineering, to help design and coordinate the systems. Mr. Blythe was familiar with hydronic systems and said this choice would be the most efficient, least expensive, and best choice for this particular application. After Dave Phillips had our wells prepared, Gary Mooneyham, owner of Mooneyham Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. will complete the installation between the geothermal and hydronic units.

Another significant advantage of each room having its own Hydro-Air unit is the reduction in humidity. Instead of having one unit removing the humidity from a single source, each room has its own unit that will be reducing the ever present humidity. A wonderful solution for homes built in humid environments.

Holographic fireplaces are the source of heat in the dome. Each room has its own fireplace, capable of heat and flames or just romantic flames in warmer weather.

Utilizing knowledge from the last home he remodeled, Mark designed the openings in the dome according to the movement of the sun across the heavens. The openings and windows in the dome are designed to receive solar gain during the winter. But, during the summer months there is no direct sunlight in contact with the windows to introduce unnecessary heat into the dome.

With the tremendous amount of human energy exerted to design this system, we are glad it will be saving energy on another realm.

With great enthusiasm, I applaud the genius of being able to adjust the temperature in each room separately. I only heat and cool the rooms we are using; I don't have to freeze in my room if someone else in the house is having hot flashes. I love the Hydro-Air Systems. I can really feel the reduced humidity level in the Dome. Since each Hydro-Air System unit removes humidity from air, I essentially have a dehumidifier in each room. The air is much easier to breathe in the dome than it was in our previous house.

The geo thermal system that chills the water for the Hydro-Air System has been a pain. With limited service experience in the area, we have to wait for repairs longer than for a conventional unit. Same is true when we need parts. After the hurricanes, we had to replace all of the pumps because damage in the line allowed sand to enter the system. And the list goes on, but overall, I think we would use this system again.

With the Hydro-Air system, we did not have to use ducting throughout the house. It's another favorite home for the mold and mildew. Without having to use space for the duct work, we had more options for interesting angles and ceilings. Duct work is a challenge to incorporate into the dome because there are limited options for hiding it. Hydro-Air units use chilled water, so we only had plumbing pipe to contend with.

Since the building of the dome has started, we have received very supportive visitors from various government agencies. Dave Thomas, the regional FEMA director from Atlanta, visited the home and stated, "This structure should become the standard for coastal building." (Paraphrased) We recently had Gerald Waytowich, the Regional General Adjuster for the National Flood Insurance Program, visit the dome with his federal counterpart from DC. They were extremely interested in how the dome will mitigate further flood damage from occurring. With this type of support, it would seem that the time is ripe for making changes within the lending and insurance institutions.



Every week, we give numerous tours through the dome. Without fail, people are amazed and curious as to how it is possible to build one of these homes.

I receive frequent emails from people who want to know how to get financing for a dome. Obviously, this presents a challenge when there aren't two comparables that have sold within a limited mileage range in the last couple of years. The key to overcoming this challenge lies in educating the industry and having FEMA’s help in establishing a separate classification that conventional lenders will recognize.

When Mark and his brothers developed porcelain veneers for teeth, it would prove to revolutionize dentistry. Mark recognized that although this was an incredible product, if the insurance companies wouldn't pay for them, the market was very limited. Their company pursued the insurance industry until the veneers received an insurance code that could be entered on the forms.

That is an example for what needs to happen in the dome industry.

Great idea! Great structure! But, until it is "mainstreamed" into the lending institutions and insurance industry, the market will be limited.

We are interested in any contacts, information, or guidance anyone has in this area. Is there already a forum established that is working to accomplish this goal? Maybe we can all collaborate to gain the attention of the appropriate "movers and shakers" in the insurance and lending institutions.

You can email us at domeofahome@aol.com or better yet, share your knowledge with everyone on our message board.


Although you may find it difficult to get a mortgage loan through traditional mortgage brokers, we are finding individual banks are sometimes willing to create a relationship as a "Private Client" and loan you money that will stay as an "in house" loan and will not be sold.

Foam is an integral part of the dome structure. We chose to also use foam in between the walls of the home for its energy conservation; structural; sound deadening; and water resistant qualities. The interior walls’ 3.5” metal studs were foamed with 1” of 2# foam. The exterior walls’ 6” metal studs were foamed with 4” of 3# foam. Unlike fiberglass insulation, this foam will not absorb moisture and become a petri dish for mold and mildew. When we bulldozed our previous home, some areas of the insulation were literally black. We have devoted a tremendous amount of energy to avoid some of the pitfalls we experienced with our conventional home.

The major adjustments we made were:

· Eliminate the duct system needed for conventional air conditioning.
· Eliminate insulation that would not maintain its R-value after absorbing humidity. Mold and mildew would then begin to grow in the moist environment.

Bob Buchmeier’s, owner of Triple B Coatings & Insulation, Inc., crew did a thorough job of spraying inside the walls of the dome. His next task is to spray the exterior of the dome. www.hometown.aol.com/foameee1 email: foameee1@aol.com



The foam was such a vital part of the plan to build a home that could withstand our coastal environment. And it performed beautifully in Hurricane Ivan, 2004. Ordinarily, the leaks around the windows and doors would have created huge issues with mold and mildew. Fiberglass insulation is useless after it becomes moist and even worse, serves as a growth medium for the mold and mildew. When we bulldozed our previous home to build the Dome, I was nauseated by the black mold covering our fiberglass insulation. Then, I knew why we were suffering sinus complications.

With the foam insulation, Georgia Pacific's mildew resistant DENS Technology sheetrock, and metal studs, we eliminated a huge coastal concern: hidden mold and mildew in the walls.

We also sprayed foam on the garage's ceiling, covering the exposed floor pan and structural beams. It has worked beautifully by increasing the efficiency of the heating/cooling in the dome and reducing noise reverberation. And --- no more rust to contend with.

The moment we have been waiting for has arrived: Walls are up! Unlike Mark, it is very difficult for me to visualize rooms with chalk lines on the concrete floor. Now, that the walls are up on both sides of the metal studs, I have one thing to say: “WOW! WOW! WOW!” The home truly exceeds my wildest imagination. The curved walls throughout the house create an ambiance that cannot be expressed with mere words. Although I will make an attempt, you really need to see it for yourselves. Pictures and words cannot bring justice to the experience.



Every time I walk into Serenity by the Sea, I am overwhelmed with awe at her beauty. I love the curves that lure you along to the next alcove. It is an amazing house built by amazing men.
In my humble opinion, Mark is the genius behind the amazing men.