NorCal veteran coder customizes off-grid home with sensors

Loren Amelang once helped code for Silicon Valley companies, but he'd always been sensitive to environment so when his employer installed fluorescent lighting and wouldn't let employees use their own lights, he decided to move to the country and craft his off-grid dream home.
Today he lives with "clean air, a great view, free hot water and free power, and a decent chunk of free heat". The entire south side of his home is covered in solar capture devices: 1600 watts of photovoltaic power, solar hot water panels, a sunroom/greenhouse and a solar hot air collector. The sunroom/greenhouse provides most of the free heat via the 'solar flue' that moderates it in warmer weather or circulates some of it into the house when needed, and the concrete walls that stabilize the temperature over time.
Putting his technical skills to use (he's a pioneer in C++ programming), Amelang wrote over 10,000 lines of code so that his home's water and electric systems could be operated remotely, by even just an iPhone.
Since he built most of the home himself (the person he hired to do it decades ago, spent all the money and built half the house), Amelang has made it very custom. He avoided using aluminum and plastic (except for the insulation on the wiring) and he wired it for pure DC lighting (which makes sense with solar, but Amelang also likes how "peaceful" DC lighting feels).
Building on his own terms means that Amelang created a home that doesn't look or feel like anyone else's, but it works well and makes sense. For instance, he designed an audio system where you can "walk around in the sound space and feel where you are" and a central locking system for all exterior doors so that when he leaves the house he doesn't have to lock 12 different doors, but just turns one key and they all lock.
* This is a follow-up story with Loren. The original stories from 2011: -- C++ programming pioneer hacks off-grid, DIY, smart home
faircompanies.com/videos/view/...
-- 96-square-foot tiny home handbuilt inside century-old barn
faircompanies.com/videos/view/...
** Note: Loren has always seen the world differently, in a literal sense and he is hoping to hear from anyone who might experience the same phenomenon. He explains they are "issues are with brain-level perception and my expectations of how the visual world should work". He writes about it more in detail in his blog post "Consumed by the light": psychoros.org/lightFrame.html

[@stacyhead8741]

He had me at "refused to work under fluorescent lighting!

[@ericpeterman9436]

Loren was our neighbor for many years. We lived about a 2/3 mile down the ridge from our ranch. I've visited with him in that house. It's every bit as unique, functional and well designed as the video shows. We appreciated his push to get wireless internet in the valley. He designed a complex software module to plug into a database program I was writing, and it plugged in and worked the first time I attempted it and worked perfectly without any further adjustments or corrections needed. That's the kind of coder he is. He does things his way or he doesn't do them. And his way is usually really well thought out according to his values.

[@gorankordic8106]

This sounds like a Linkedin endorsement rather than KZbin comment

[@solomonjenkins9505]

what an absolute badass

[@LordPerique]

"and it plugged in and worked the first time I attempted it and worked perfectly without any further adjustments or corrections needed. That's the kind of coder he is." so... superhuman? I can't remember the last time I had code that ran without errors after the first compile and actually did what I wanted it to do.

[@confusedwhale]

@@LordPerique: I think what OP was saying was that once OP started using what the coder made, it worked. But what OP left out was that the coder had to work on it himself until it worked for him. He debugged everything and made it simple enough that others could just copy his work without fuzzing anything up. Granted, OP seems to have more than a basic level skill to be able to implement the coder's code.

[@SuAndFox]

@@LordPerique You're super clever too then aren't you? Credit where its fair, true and due, right?

[@Pengepugeren]

I love how he's using electronics in an organic non-interfering way rather than letting the electronics control him.

[@GIitchclan12]

My thoughts exactly. Technology is a double edged sword, and as of recent we're using it wrong IMO.

[@conordia6906]

Absolutely, there's no flashy touchscreen led. It's all apart of the house infrastructure not sitting front and centre

[@ericnaves5175]

1:46 "I have no urge to rebel against things that are working" That's genious. Buckminster Fuller like genious.

[@rob5918]

When you have an eccentric genius working for you, you let him have whatever lighting he wants.

[@GIitchclan12]

Right? But as most things this was obviously meant to be, he doesn't seem the type to be interested in office work.

[@andreewert1142]

Some ''managers'' don't understand that creative people have their own True North, their own Compass, their Integrity and don't want to be ''managed',..The smart, as well as wise, give those People all the leeway they need to create and thrive. The Business Schools teach us obsolete systems of Management that focus on ''productivity'' and the Taylorism and approaches of the Industrial Age. The New Productivity is Creativity and centering Society around Humans, not around Buildings, Paper Investments and Abstract Concepts.

[@genkiferal7178]

flourescent lighting can often have a hum that bothers some people. There is even an intentional technology based off of that which targeted young people loitering around the outside of stores. young people are supposedly far more sensitive to those wave lengths.

[@Ed19601]

Yes i did not understand why the company had an issue with that.

[@nikumeru]

@@Ed19601 most likely due to maintenance/warranty contracts.

[@zoegifkins8517]

this guy is pure genious. he should make more videos so that the rest of us can follow his example

[@dthurmond6329]

Amazing! I'm thinking the company who let him go is regretting it now. He's very intelligent and educated. Wishing you the best buddy.

[@rudyo8409]

The man is a super genius" I wish he would write a book . This has to be the coolest self sufficient home I have ever seen. Fantastic Vid, Thank you for sharing .

[@Helloverlord]

This guy is....incredible. I salute him for what he's done.

[@kathleenbarrow3373]

Just Inspiring! This should be taught to the Masses!

[@Erika-gm2tf]

We need this man to be brainstorming and designing on a larger scale: city planning, government builds, environmental product design.

[@apatheticallyconcerned6574]

I really like that when they asked him for some overarching life philosophy that guided in his decisions, he responded with "Every choice I make is my personal feeling, there is no mental philosophy behind it..." He embraces tech because he can control it and direct it. He sleeps on the floor because he enjoys it. He stacks his things neatly because it makes him feel good. I like this guy.

[@lightning5273]

As an IT guy I was about to say, wow this old man knows how to use point to point wireless equipment; props to him. Then he's using his own network SSH'ing into network equipment to close vents from his smart phone.

[@MrSnickster]

WoW! That's all I can say. How do you find these amazing people? Thanks for seeking them out, all your videos are amazing.

[@judyjohnson7574]

True to himself, ahead of his time, our planet would not be in such peril if we adopted his ideas even a tiny bit. I am in awe.

[@simonlagree4655]

. Here is a man whose genius and accomplishments are only limited by the cutting edge of technology , a modern day DaVinci ! He has managed , through construction and materials innovation paired with computer expertise to create a personal dwelling SO ADVANCED as to SHAME even the foremost modern and " off grid " designs in place today ! He is DECADES AHEAD of everyone and we can only hope that he manages to encapsulate and publish his know - how for general consumption while he is able.

[@judge462]

I tip my fedora to you good sir.

[@Iggypox]

Genius, loved the way he adapted technology to make his living comfortable and energy efficient! I am looking forward to seeing this type of system available without having to sell both kidneys to afford it.

[@margeretheath597]

He IS most welcome and so very much appreciated. We need more thoughtful, gentle, clever and observant educated folk like him sharing who share their knowledge so generously.

[@justgivemethetruth954]

Cool, I'm very happy to see more of this guy and his house. I remember the first video well. The little pipes with computer fans at the bottom to suck hot air from the ceiling down to the floor. His comment on the solar water heating made me think of a guy that had a very nice solar setup. On the occasions where his batteries were fully charges, and he sized his system fairly robustly, he would store the solar electric energy still coming in, or the wind energy still coming it by running the output through an electric element in his water heater. You would also use electricity to pump water up high into a tank and create your own water pressure. This looks like a really amazing place. This dude ought to give tours, classes or lectures and teach others who to do this. I bet he could make some good money. Thanks for another inspiring video.

[@directeeccks]

Yea this guy is genius with his designs and he also inspired me. Those pipes with the computer fans you mention from the last video do work. I have made my own version of them that I used in combination with a arduino and a relay switch through the winter. Even though it got super cold this past winter my electric bill was about 8 dollars lower per month vs last year. I have not had summers months with it yet but it should help with cooling too. I am hoping in under a year I will get a return on investment. I up-cycled some fans from a old pc. I got some throw rugs on craigslist for free for the tubes. Then I bought 6 fans from a salvage electronic warehouse for under 10 bucks. Then with the arduino, relay switch, and a small temperature sensor for about 50 leaving me at a total cost of 60 bucks. The arduino has 8 open pins left and the relay switch has room for 4 more things to be controlled by it. So I have room for more projects that could be automated. It was my first arduino project and I am glad I did. That being said I can't express enough how innovative this guy is. It probable cost a small fortune to set up because he was doing this years ago. Luckily now we have super cheap micro controllers. The amount of things that can be done is endless with them, a huge support community, and where designed to be modular.

[@g.t.g1111]

IF HE WAS NOT TRYING TO BE INSPIRATIONAL... He Fail!!! I've learn so Much today just by sitting and listening to him... THANK YOU!!! Very Encouraging... Thank You!

[@JXZ-JAM]

This man is a genius. Anyone notice the Andrino board? This is what makes me so excited for the future, holding the knowledge that we can create a brighter future for all of earth's inhabitants, with or with out the help of archaic, power hungry, top-down systems that exist. Bringing together this simple, accessible technology and knowledge along side things like permaculture, closed loop systems, ecology, earthships, alternative energy, makers, 3d printers, up-cycling, treating waste streams as a resource rather then garbage....bring it all together is key. We can create a new reality.

[@ACoupleStoners]

This guy is my spirit animal. We're building an RV on our channel and using a lot of his ideas. This guy's is why engineers rock.

[@KlausHildner]

He seems to recognize the flicker in fluorescent light (2:10 m:ss) and therefore also prefers DC lighting (19:15 mm:ss). I like the way he is organized - usually such kind of activity yields to "scientific genious" messiness, but he is crystal clear and tidy. Wow.

[@jay-rus4437]

Same here. Couldnt stand being in my corporate high level position anymore. I hated what my future looked like being there. One Thursday my wife said “why dont you just leave”. Here I had spent my entire career in engineering, contractor management, and facilities director. Had created the “american dream”. Had my own secretary, conference room, was over 6 departments and all construction. And then felt like I had woke up and found myself in anbad dream. So that very same Thursday evening we drove to the large facility and emptied my office. On Friday morning I met with all my staff to let them know that I was resigning immediately. I did that so that I could share with them that their jobs were not in danger. That this was just a personal decision. So many people would have been murmuring about whether their jobs were at risk if they didnt understand why I was gone, so I didnt want them to fear losing their positions. Then….we sold everything we had. Rental property, our home, high end SUVs, sports car, motorcycles….everything. Bought a small older ranch home on small piece of land outside of town, remodeled it ourselves, installed solar, and then started our own remodel business. My wife subsequently resigned as a teacher and our whole family work in the business that my years of experience had taught me…..my wife, both twin sons (now 24), our daughter in law, and myself. We literally put $2000 in a business account and got running. We have 3 other direct employees now, and approx 8-10 others subs at any given time. We live on a very minimal income now. Used vehicles, no credit cards etc. Would never go back….ever. The only direction now is to continue to reduce our dependence on this system we all live within.

[@KweliPatton]

I want to live like this guy

[@BethGrantDeRoos]

Living here in N California its great to see an update of the home. LOVE the yoga desk he used when working on the computer.Add in the Le Creuset cookware.restaurant kitchen sink, sleeping on the floor and the place is awesome to say the least.

[@Jackwagon]

It's a shame guys like this have been driven into seclusion due to our society's skewed values. He should be welcomed and appreciated so his genius brain can help our failing status-quo that relies on finite resources.

[@PullingEnterprises]

amen

[@simeonbanner6204]

vas voo.koh.teach totally agree with you. Society drives the genuine into insanity or isolation.

[@jeffstumpf9129]

This guy embraces technology like the rest of us breathe air. Interesting because many believe that off the grid folks live like the Amish.

[@Dikkedimi]

he shows us that we can all do this! it's easy but a lot of work.

[@spamskanal]

He wants to live on his own, accepts only his way of doing, he does not seem to be wanting to be embraced. He uses state of the art very smartly, but a GENIUS is a very different caliber :)

[@blackswanOx]

out of all the homes this is my favorite, and ive seen them all. the attention to detail and ingenuity is inspiring to say the least

[@aveergogoi6065]

He has accomplished so much yet he is so humble . Would have liked to hear his sound system though.

[@SuAndFox]

Now THAT is a Smart House built by and even smarter, warm, wonderful human. Thank you for sharing!

[@MysticDonBlair]

I watch this video every few years. This guy is a shining star of exceptional genius.

[@Claras1941]

Loren, you rock! Id love to have your home! Absolutely amazing sir!

[@connectionism3754]

This guy is truly incredible. Many thanks for this video it is inspirational.

[@DyrconaBob]

This is why I got into programming as a kid. I wanted a home like this. How could I have forgotten and not made it happen? I have some catching up to do. I think I ended up in that group of people who take things for granted. Loren and his home are inspiring.

[@leoneranger9348]

Still amazing 5 years later 🙌🏾👏🏾

[@PEKUMBU]

I remember seeing homes like these in Mother Jones magazine back in the 70's It's nice to see this old timer still innovating on this design.

[@Kimberley_Black_White_TV]

This gentleman is amazing with his thinking and reasoning, etc. (I can't list all the words! We'd be here all day.) lol, But what a gem of a citizen he is to our society!

[@gourmander]

Love this guy, Im in my 20's and have a very good friend who is exactly like this, would not change a thing about him or his view of reality

[@todddomke3063]

Thanks for opening your home and giving us dreamers a glimpse into your genius mind. Best wishes.

[@lancedaniels]

Hi Kirsten, Thanks for the remarkable story of this man and his home.

[@benjamin5355]

This guy is really interesting. His house is a reflection of him. Captivating

[@curtisshaw7688]

Fantastic! What a genius yet so simple and down to earth person.

[@genkiferal7178]

He's almost Taoist. Sages have said that the best Taoist is the one who doesn't even know that he is one.

[@lilijody]

Futuristic off grid home. This is absolutely amazing.

[@Tiffany-Rose]

I love his outlook on things. The florescent light thing is something that would send me packing too 😅 "👋 Im gonna go live in the middle of nowhere 👍" Simple life with modern convenance sprinkled about, perfect.

[@moshesabag6004]

A beautiful person and ideas,Thank you Kirsten

[@lorirugato6463]

Amazing man and home. I always am so grateful to see your videos. Thank you so very much!!

[@SachiWI]

he sure was way beyond his time to do all that back in the 80's and to still be on top of it all it's great! keep that mind a going and it will never stop working :)

[@herbivoretothecore2457]

wow, sheer brilliance! I've been researching off grid living for a few years now & damn, the marriage of earth & tech here is amazing! love it

[@gug1970]

great to see this again with different detail.

[@drrobertamis5167]

Kirsten, I've watched many of your videos bringing unique living quarters to the public's eye and pretty much love them all. Congratulations to you and your family for taking the adventure of travel and finding a way to document so that you can bring the rest of us along. Currently, my favorite dream home is an Earthship. However, I love the ideas that Loren has implemented that take away the time consuming regulation of his home and garden. Perhaps this is something that can be combined with the Earthship build out as well.

[@undrcoverlouky]

At first I thought he was crazy. By the end of the video, I realized he wasn't. I am.

[@Sovereign_Citizen_LEO]

That's hilarious :) All of us are crazy to one degree or another.

[@davefroman4700]

He knows damn well society is going to break down as AI replaces our need of labor.

[@AFFI909]

@@davefroman4700 society is breaking down due to the fact that we are almost all on some serious time wasting, self pleasure meaningless addictions and habbits. social media being a big root of todays social issues, it is ripping appart the fabric of how society works.. there is barely any interaction left between strangers. while social media continues to maily promote the love of self, love of material, love of money, validation, status, ego, pride, lust, bunch of meaningless stuff to say the least. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:1‭-‬10 NIV

[@AFFI909]

@@davefroman4700 you are right about AI, wich is collecting data on us as we speak. New phones have fingerprint scanners, facial recognicion, and a unremovable battery. 5G is not meant for us to have slightly faster internet, its meant for a.i

[@davefroman4700]

@@maxss280 Unemployment during the great depression was only 25% at its peak. We are going to be beyond that within 10 years.

[@V4D2]

i really enjoyed this one. Specially his integrity and approach to life. i was already sold on mostly everything he showed.... And then he presented the DC PowerAmp ..for his stereo.. Damn ! What a great guy..And with a really sharp aesthetic sense, as well. kudos to both of you for ..yet another solid video ! thank you, cheers from Portugal

[@undrcoverlouky]

I just watched this video for the second time. It's two years since I watched it for the first time. I'm still amazed and inspired.

[@Bigjoe99]

He really put it exactly how everyone really feel - "love the life and minds of the city BUT living there is a struggle"..

[@FishingwithCristina]

I'm Amazed at the things that he could do and he doesn't stop when some of us are saying I wish I could do that he's actually doing it

[@KRLEEQ]

This guy is genius!!! This is what I imagine Sheldon Cooper to be like when he's older, away from the city in SoCal and has gone off to find a different life, whilst using his genius tech skills all over the place:)

[@ideoformsun5806]

This guy needs to have an apprentice. I hope he tells the story of each system someday. This would be great for the next owner of the house to have. He could patent the style of some of them, like the sound system. I have the same issues he has. I see the lights flickering, and hear sound frequencies differently.

[@saavwafare]

Just...wow!!! I'm not one to get excited about many things but I am totally blown away by his logic, philosophy, and execution when creating solutions for every possible issue he encounters. Truly refreshing!!! I thank him for allowing us to see into his world.

[@MeandYoutoo8]

Beautifully brilliant. Wish I could hear that sound system. THIS is what a home looks like :-) ... heavenly ... great job.

[@musFuzZ]

this is now my favorite video about homes. This guy is almost living my dream, i can't really believe how awesome it is. Someone give this man a cookie.

[@simeonbanner6204]

Great chap.. following his anger and desire to do his own thing. No bourgeois lifestyle. House looks great. I love the glass and solar.

[@DreamingWorlds]

genuine pioneer .. very inspiring and would love to chill with this guy!

[@philiq18]

Commented before, but this is how one should live life. Do what you feel like with ingenuity and live your life for you.

[@murphy2251]

Marvelous, important work Kirsten, Thankyou

[@MsYahngsCafe]

This video is great! This guy's home is amazing! It brings new perceptions of a smart home ... in the middle middle of nowhere!

[@tony_718]

He was way ahead in the 80s with his knowledge of tech. I agree, society and workforce wants to impose their regulations n stupid handbooks, that's what drives guys like him to do what he does!

[@MrBassbump]

I love this man's house. He has done an amazing job by incorporating technology into a natural house. Absolutely beautiful. I wish to do this to my first house.

[@charlottewilliams7866]

I love your work! Almost every video is excellent -- beautiful, interesting and engaging. Thanks!!

[@santamariamike]

Thanks for sharing. He is a legend!!!

[@kiwifashion]

Thanks Kirsten for hunting out these fab places. ;-)

[@jacksprat3009]

It would be nice if some of this technology was commercially available - like legos - plug and play, adding one onto another sort of thing - for those of us who aren't programmers or electrical engineers. P.s. Frank Lloyd Wright, considered the father of modern architecture, who always was looking for new ways to solve problems and developing the building to suit the person(s) living in it, would salute this guy.

[@fabiobcm]

He was referring to Arduino as Lego parts. With them and maybe a micro-computer like Raspberry Pi you can spread and control sensors along multiple routines.

[@HadrienCoadour]

Very impressive! Thanks for this very inspirational video.

[@AnitaLife27]

The company that let him go was stupid beyond measure. This man is a genius and should be designing all our homes. Thanks.

[@baseballDUDE32]

Smart young man. Live the life! Thanks you.

[@sallysassa]

How absolutely fabulous. What a clever, clever man.

[@marceloquiroga1904]

Inspiring! Thanks Kirsten for your videos. I hope you realize how these insights on how other folk solve their living situations inspire and help the rest of us make better decisions in our lives. Keep well.

[@nitacharron]

Beautiful, amazing, inspiring!

[@VictorNolochemical]

Really enjoy your videos, this is great thank you 🙏

[@dasalekhya]

*Eco friendly* TONY STARK

[@treewoon]

Well done old man...well done! Living in such a house is a true pleasure!

[@daniellewis984]

I have recently been looking at house design science, and as an Electrician and Software Engineer, this is pretty much exactly how I would like to see myself. I'll do what I can to learn from his mistakes and proficiencies, and thanks so much for the video.

[@ralevdotcom]

A lot of thoughts running through my head right now. Thank you for this movie. With all this wires and technology it actually doesn't look like a downshifting .. :)

[@americandocumentary1707]

This Man is truly a inspiration, I love watching videos like this. He reminds me of Ed Begley Jr.

[@kauih2536]

He presents himself as a genius that chose to live how he wants- in his version of a smart house. It's always inspiring to me to see people dive into their passion-- especially when the outcome has a positive effect. Here it demonstrates it has for him and he looks pretty content with what he's created for himself.♡

[@JittoRalo]

This man is amazing. I crave to know how to do this now, because of him. Inspirational!

[@brownlauren15]

Loren thanks for sharing this video and your intelligent design. My son wants to be a coder and I will share this video with him for inspiration!! All over with love,

[@skyeseaborn1170]

I love the creative expression!

[@Oakheart]

Loren you are an amazing person. The bankers clip was a perfect solution. :-)

[@kevingallagher4673]

This guy is brilliant , great video ....

[@Itwasallwonderfulnot]

Amazing video, amazing home builder!

[@kimberlysidor9427]

Brilliant! Utterly brilliant!

[@THEMAYQUEEN1]

Oh wow soooo inspiring!! Love these videos.

[@patrickmckowen2999]

very nice setup and even better view. Cheers, Patrick

[@jesschappell647]

What an awesome place.....I like the questions you asked too : ) Great Video very interesting!

[@johncrow8149]

DUDE YOU SO RULE!!!!! YOU ARE A GOD TO THE OFF GRIDDERS!!!!!!

[@healing2gether]

This is simply amazing!! Thanks for bringing him to us Kirsten! -Adam The New Woodworker

[@futurelegendfilms]

I love this dude. What an inspiration!

[@terrieesposito9410]

With this much knowledge , he did the right choice to leave that company. It’s a shame how the company didn’t realize the strength of this man

[@GeorgeStar]

Absolute genius! More from him please.

[@owenp5425]

this man is brilliant, a true visionary.

[@sholland42]

As a programmer I’ve considered some of these things, he has taken it to the next level. Thanks for sharing.

[@lazaromanalo6968]

Very systematic. He knew evrything to save alot.