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  • From: John Schinnerer <john@eco-living.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Energy Savings (off-topic)
  • Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2006 09:31:26 -1000

Aloha,

I wouldn't call this OT myself...design of minimum energy dwellings is in the PC ballpark.

The long-term lowest energy methods for using ground temperature would seem to be earth-sheltering and earth-berming, combined with sound passive solar design and locally sustainable supplemental heating sources (biomass of some kind).

Build an earth-sheltered/bermed (ground-temperature coupled) dwelling once and well, even using one-time energy intensive materials including Malcom-Wells-like concrete and steel, ICFs and CMUs etc. etc. - or using Mike Oehler's super-low-budget designs ("The Fifty Dollar and Up Underground House Book"), or somewhere in between (Rob Roy's methods, Earthships, etc.) - and not ultimately needing any grid/electricity dependent pumps, fans, and other high-energy technology.

One advantage of adequate earth sheltering is that with *that* much mass stablizing the temp, one can ventilate more readily than with a house that relies only on super-insulation to maintain heat or coolth.

C. William, have you made it over to Rob Roy's place across the lake yet?? ;-)

cheers,
John S.

Dylan Ford wrote:
Folks, In reference to the ongoing energy discussions, I heard a fellow on
the radio today who is a member of the Ground Heat Power Consortium. He was
talking about building homes, businesses, and housing complexes with
inexpensive supplemental geothermal systems. He also discussed how existing
buildings may be retrofitted, some easier and cheaper than others.

Below a depth of about 10 feet the earth remains at a constant temp of about
55 degrees years round. A shaft is drilled, a U-shaped pipe a hundred or
more feet long is installed, and water is circulated through it and the
building. Thus no matter how cold the winter, you start heating the building
from a 55 degree base temp, and the same applies to cooling it in the
summer. He says that the savings in heating and cooling a building is about
35%. He also suggested that if the building codes were changed nationally to
promote this supplemental energy catching, America could meet the terms of
the Kyoto Protocols with no other changes.

I caught two of the information websites he mentioned, but have not had a
chance to more than glance at them:
www.geoexchange.org
www.igshpa.okstate.edu

dylan


Dylan Ford is the author of the proposal at www.ideaforpresident.com , a
website devoted to an idea that could provide an avenue to address pollution
issues, food safety, social justice, prison reform and healthcare.


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--

John Schinnerer - MA, Whole Systems Design
------------------------------------------
- Eco-Living -
Whole Systems Design Services
People - Place - Learning - Integration
john@eco-living.net
http://eco-living.net




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