permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

On 1/4/2013 5:46 PM, Frances and David wrote:
> interesting points all...
> just wanted to add that the notion of a central woodstove, as well as a
> greenhouse that takes advantage of the warmth from the home are all on our
> 'list'.
> not sure of the best  position for an attached greenhouse...
> What Dave liked about traditional wooden shutters was that you could reach
> outside and pull them closed at night. I do agree, though, that these seem
> to go a step further as well as making an allowance for the type of windows
> we love living with. Imagine being able to have your large windowed house
> and energy efficient, too. Could use passive solar (if the sign was shining,
> though even a cloudy day carries warmth in the light) and still close off to
> the elements at night.  The sliding bit is neat (but needs a lot of care)
> and I am working on visualizing the exact way the edges would 'seal'.

I would try to contact the architect-builder of that house to find out 
exactly what kind of tracking hardware was used.  It would have to track 
on a curve
where it covers the window to seal properly tightly against it. Actually 
I can see how even that might be avoided by having the panel slide into 
place within a fixed track against
wooden strips or stops that it contacts on each side of the panel. Maybe 
sliding glass patio door hardware would work. As an alternative you 
could simply build pairs of large shutters mounted on hinges
to swing open-shut just like traditional ones. No reason why this would 
not be satisfactory. These shutters could be lightweight and insulated with
rigid foamboard panels in a core sandwiched between plywood panelling, 
i.e. T-111., perfect solution.  Yet another solution would be to build 
sliding insulating panels/shutters that
roll or slide on a track (patio door hardware) across the windows at 
night and back into a recess in the exterior wall during day, just as is 
done in a Japanese house.


> I do have my organic fabrics, my sewing machines and yarns that come as
> baggage and space takers. Question might become whether to keep them in a
> separate building (and whether that would allow for any greater efficiency
> re: heating... Speaking of which, I wonder about our moist moderate climate
> here, how safe it is to leave things in an unheated building longterm. I've
> heard it said that there is no risk of mold so long as they are in a
> building that has proper moisture barrier.  And then, if we were away, there
> is the risk of close to a week long frost.
> Thanks for the opportunity to 'think out loud' and, although I certainly
> don't expect it for every point I make or question I ask, it certainly has
> been wonderful to have feedback.
> Thanks for the conversation,