No, it's not really pretty, but if you line the entire interior with bubble it will not only diffuse the light, it will add insulating qualities as it's the air trapped in the bubbles that insulate and why so many GH owners use it, but the lighter weight bubble we tend to have on-hand from packaging isn't going to last very long. Sealing all of the glass on the exterior, leaving a 1.5" space would be even better- IF you can seal it well enough to insure that the air is really trapped. However, film on the exterior won't last even as long as lightweight packing bubble and be impossible to clean. If you have a means of installing them, in the long run, permanent storm panels would be the most cost effective option and give you close to the equilant of thermopanes. Single pane safety glass is relatively cheap and given some carpentry skill and a bench saw with a dado blade, making non-operable storm panels is easy. For light diffusion, most of us use sunshades. I needed additional sun screening on one end of my GH and used semi-sheer white window panel curtains from a thrift shop and held them in place between the polybars (studs) with spring loaded curtain rods. I spent no more than $5.00 for enough semi-sheers to completely cover a 12 ft. wall. Of course, they weren't gathered nicely as they would be on a window in a decorated room in the house, but they worked wonderfully to diffuse sunlight in my GH. The problem with trying to make an innexpensive garden GH both tightly insulated against both direct sun/heat and cold attractive, is that sans very expensive triple pane, coated thermos, we need to suppliment and that supplimental insulation is rarely an attractive addition. Done right, it can be highly effective, but hardly attractive. BTW: One shade option glass GH owners have that is denied to those of us with polycarb, is good old fashoned whitewash. It's cheap to buy, easy to apply and remove and also control for the amount of opaqueness by the simple means of thinning it and/or applying multiple coats. Also not pretty, but again; effective.

@koszta: that stinks. Not a good feeling to have that happen. @worthy: Thanks for the link in post. I saw something about the zones somewhere on the net and couldn't find it again. That answers a few questions I had running through my mind. I am curious about something though...can I just put this foam right in between the 2x2's and butt them right to the wall like the studs are? Just not sure if this will cause problems for me in the future. I have not looked in detail at the link you gave. Maybe that will be answered there. In any case thanks again for the info. Appreciate it. Edit: Just had an idea.... (which I may or may not find an answer to in future readings) was thinking I can trim foam board to fit in between studs, put a layer of roll insulation, then the drywall? Also...is drywall gonna be too heavy for the 2x2's? Oh well... gonna go read some before I spam forum with more questions! This post was edited by PFlies on Sun, Nov 23, 14 at 17:17

I bought some old metal garden fence that I was going to attach them to to make a chandelier. You can find the picture at JunkMarket style magazine. Look at the project page and it is listed under "chandelier" Make your own chandelier. It's fun and not too spendy. Tools Bolt Cutter Wire Cutter Needle Nose Pliers Materials 72"-78" of Wire Garden Fence 8-10 (2 ¼" diameter) Telephone Pole Insulators (votive cups or small jars can also be used) 18 Gauge Wire Old Chain Candles, Ribbons, Flowers, and/or Greenery to decorate the chandelier

So Brick does a few things but they are minor in the grand scheme of things. Mostly the thermal mass helps as they heat up during the day and stay warm after the sun goes down so help to minimize wall heat loss (same with gain in summer). The R-value is about 1 but the thermal mass effect is a bit larger. I actually notice my loss more on the back wall which is not brick. I think there is probably an infiltration benefit with a brick wall but I can't say that for sure. Just looking at it , even with the weep holes, it looks to be a pretty effective air barrier compared to siding. You should easily be able to beat your spec house if you try. The only thing that $1800 doesn't include is the gas connection fee. I only used about $120 in gas last year but there is another $120 a year in connection costs. I try to justify that this fee is not really energy cost... In the country - orient your windows right. 1 inch foam (my biggest regret) on the walls and basic infiltration work (foaming windows and doors etc). I'm guessing no NG, so at least Seer 15 heat pumps. Get a geo quote but they are hard to justify generally. Use shade trees on those E/W walls (and south walls too as long as they are deciduous and not oaks or something that keeps leaves too long). Water? What is the motivation here? You should have a well? That is nature's best water reclaiming system. I priced a rain catchment and it was absurd. A well would have been cheaper and I am on city water. Code makes graywater difficult (although I don't know exactly which jurisdiction you are in). But generally NC is not Arizona so the benefits are minimal and jurisdictions have no need to be flexible. Shade/orient windows well/foam sheath/seer 15 - and you should have no problem getting below $1000 a year in HVAC costs. Lezarc - you must not drive much! Average car, average driving = $2000 a year - all carbon, mostly foreign (my house, mostly US uranium). Sure apples and oranges but perspective. You may not design cars but you decide what to buy....just tweaking you.