The Sheppard – Raye House, designed by Alice Dodson, is located in the Montreat area north of Black Mountain and uses sunshine to generate all of its electricity and to heat most of the water needed for domestic hot water and space heating.

The home is 3,868 square feet on three levels and constructed of 12-inch-thick aerated, autoclaved concrete on the top two levels above grade. Aerated, autoclaved concrete is a lightweight but solid masonry block resembling pumice with a multitude of small air pockets that provide built-in insulation. The block is typically finished with stucco on the outside and plaster on the inside.

The passive solar house is bermed into the hillside and faces true south with solar collectors for heating water on its metal roof and the photovoltaic array on the hillside behind the house. The metal roof also directs water into a 1,500 gallon tank for irrigating the flower and vegetable gardens encircling the house.

Special care was taken to ensure the materials and finishes used in the home were not introducing toxins and compromising indoor air quality.

Trees cut in the clearing for the house and grounds were either milled for lumber or bucked into firewood. The tree branches were chipped for mulch.

Special features of the house include:
· Recycled hardwood pallet flooring and cork on the top floor.
· Cast concrete bar with hemlock and oak leaf inlays.
· Marble tile kitchen countertops.
· Bioshield clay paints on the interior walls and a locally formulated alternative to polyurethane on interior wood made of beeswax and tree resins.
· Radiant floor heating on all three levels.
· Low-flow plumbing fixtures.
· Energy-star appliances, including Sun Frost refrigerators, and compact fluorescent lighting.