Totally self sustaining????

[Farmersfan]

I am planning on building a new home in the next year or so and wanted some imput from everyone. I am considering a Mexican adobe style home with solar panels and wind turbines. I want to make it as energy effiecient as possible. All information would be welcome. Anyone know anything about the straw walls or ICF for concrete walls? How about thermo heat tubing in concrete floors? Do these actually work?

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
I am planning on building a new home in the next year or so and wanted some imput from everyone. I am considering a Mexican adobe style home with solar panels and wind turbines. I want to make it as energy effiecient as possible. All information would be welcome. Anyone know anything about the straw walls or ICF for concrete walls? How about thermo heat tubing in concrete floors? Do these actually work?


I have heard that you can run solar heated water lines in the concrete foundation and get radiant heat throughout the house. Would this also work for a swimming pool? Can you run these radiant heat water lines through the sprayed on gunnite or concrete in a swimming pool and use a solar panel heat source to maintain a constant temp in the pool? Anyone?????

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
I have heard that you can run solar heated water lines in the concrete foundation and get radiant heat throughout the house. Would this also work for a swimming pool? Can you run these radiant heat water lines through the sprayed on gunnite or concrete in a swimming pool and use a solar panel heat source to maintain a constant temp in the pool? Anyone?????


I have read that the concrete walls have the highest energy rating that you can get. Anyone know this for a fact? And how does this rating compare to the straw walls and how do they compare in cost???? Anyone??

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
I have read that the concrete walls have the highest energy rating that you can get. Anyone know this for a fact? And how does this rating compare to the straw walls and how do they compare in cost???? Anyone??


I have heard that carrying on a conversation with yourself on a public forum is the first sign of insanity. Anyone????

[Ranger Mom]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
I have heard that carrying on a conversation with yourself on a public forum is the first sign of insanity. Anyone????

Uh huh!!

I established that a couple of years ago with this thread (http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/showthread.php?threadid=63181&perpage=40&highlight=floor%20kitchen%20hands%20knees&pagenumber=1http://):crazy1:

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
I have heard that carrying on a conversation with yourself on a public forum is the first sign of insanity. Anyone????

LOL......... I don't think Crabman checks on this part of the forum but I will talk to him later and see if he has any ideas.. He's pretty informed in this area...........(the area of construction and energy not being insane ;) )

[PPSTATEBOUND]

House built on Mustang road near PP that has everything you mentioned.....have no idea about any of it though...Helped ruff it in when it was being built....might take the old truckster for a cruise and get some first hand answers from them...:)

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by PPSTATEBOUND
House built on Mustang road near PP that has everything you mentioned.....have no idea about any of it though...Helped ruff it in when it was being built....might take the old truckster for a cruise and get some first hand answers from them...:)


Was this a ICF concrete house?

[PPSTATEBOUND]

Do they use any kind of insulation on a ICF concrete house?, I know they were going to spray the thick foaming yellow stuff after we were finished...that might answer your question...this house was built ten years ago, if that helps......I think Ill swing out there sometime this week....I'm curious now.:)

It is a adobe and does have concrete floors with the heater thingy's in it though, that I know for sure.

[sinton66]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
I have heard that you can run solar heated water lines in the concrete foundation and get radiant heat throughout the house. Would this also work for a swimming pool? Can you run these radiant heat water lines through the sprayed on gunnite or concrete in a swimming pool and use a solar panel heat source to maintain a constant temp in the pool? Anyone?????

Due to the vast amount of water in a normal swimming pool, I think it would take some awfully large solar panels to heat it to any noticable degree if that is your only heat source.

To assist in heating the house, I have heard of one technique that uses large flat copper conductors from roof mounted solar panels that transfer the heat to rocks underneath the foundation. Seems like I saw that in Popular Mechanics once.

You can also purchase a heat exchanger for your AC system that will preheat the water going to your water heater when the AC unit is running. (Be sure to insulate the piping).

I'd venture a guess that your best bet would be to engage a professional engineer to guide you.

[bullfrog_alumni_02]

i once saw an episode of extreme home makeover (or something like it) and they put plants on the roof, why claimed it was a really good insulator, and would help them grow their own food. i think the people lived on an Indian reservation in new mexico. but anyway, im sure google or wikipedia might have some of the answers you are looking for...just a thought.

[Farmersfan]

Thanks everyone! There is tons of information on these ideas on the internet but I wanted personal experiences from real people and not testimonials from sale's pitches. And I have not decided what I will do so it helps to talk about different ideas. I even considered a underground or subsurface house. My wife wasn't real excited about that one......

[3ABirdMan]

Many years ago, my wife and I were considering building a log home (I know, bear with me........).

In an attempt to educate myself, I subscribed to several different log home magazines. Alot of what you are considering was discussed pretty often in those mags, for the homes in the remote wilderness areas of Colorado and Montana, etc (nobody thought 'green' back then). You may find some info there, especially for the heated floor idea - I know they wrote articles on those years ago... You might also try timber frame homes - same idea.....

Here is a link to check out, or at least point you in the right direction - maybe?????????

http://www.allyoucanread.com/log-home-magazines/

Each of these companies should have a web site to browse.

[bullfrog_alumni_02]

Originally posted by 3ABirdMan
Many years ago, my wife and I were considering building a log home (I know, bear with me........).

In an attempt to educate myself, I subscribed to several different log home magazines. Alot of what you are considering was discussed pretty often in those mags, for the homes in the remote wilderness areas of Colorado and Montana, etc (nobody thought 'green' back then). You may find some info there, especially for the heated floor idea - I know they wrote articles on those years ago... You might also try timber frame homes - same idea.....

Here is a link to check out, or at least point you in the right direction - maybe?????????

http://www.allyoucanread.com/log-home-magazines/

Each of these companies should have a web site to browse. by years ago, im hoping you mean the Roman times...if i recall correctly, the romans (or was it the greeks...) who invented heated floors by using steam under the floor to heat them to a temperature that was suitable during the cooler/colder months of the year. i realize that steam causes moisture, moisture causes erosion...so on and so forth. they didnt know about that stuff back then, but we do now. so this isnt a specifically "new" idea, but it is a good one none the less. since heat rises, it may serve note that if the floor is kept warmer in cooler months and cooler in warmer months that the bill to keep the area you wish to remain at a specific temperature will be substansially lower. i would like to point out that what you are using to insulate your basement might be a good place to start before you settle on a final product. heat rises, therefore if you wish to make sure that in the winder months its not taking more energy than absolutely nessacery to heat up, insulate the floor from the ground.bedrock you are building on so the ground temp doesnt giveway to the starting temp of your floor.

[Ranger Mom]

Originally posted by sinton66
Due to the vast amount of water in a normal swimming pool, I think it would take some awfully large solar panels to heat it to any noticable degree if that is your only heat source.

To assist in heating the house, I have heard of one technique that uses large flat copper conductors from roof mounted solar panels that transfer the heat to rocks underneath the foundation. Seems like I saw that in Popular Mechanics once.

You can also purchase a heat exchanger for your AC system that will preheat the water going to your water heater when the AC unit is running. (Be sure to insulate the piping).

I'd venture a guess that your best bet would be to engage a professional engineer to guide you.

I had a friend who heated her pool with some type of black pipe that was ran back and forth on their fence. It heated the water running through those pipes and put it back in the pool. They didn't use it in the summer, but when it started cooling down thy would, and were able to swim in their pool through November one year.

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by bullfrog_alumni_02
by years ago, im hoping you mean the Roman times...if i recall correctly, the romans (or was it the greeks...) who invented heated floors by using steam under the floor to heat them to a temperature that was suitable during the cooler/colder months of the year. i realize that steam causes moisture, moisture causes erosion...so on and so forth. they didnt know about that stuff back then, but we do now. so this isnt a specifically "new" idea, but it is a good one none the less. since heat rises, it may serve note that if the floor is kept warmer in cooler months and cooler in warmer months that the bill to keep the area you wish to remain at a specific temperature will be substansially lower. i would like to point out that what you are using to insulate your basement might be a good place to start before you settle on a final product. heat rises, therefore if you wish to make sure that in the winder months its not taking more energy than absolutely nessacery to heat up, insulate the floor from the ground.bedrock you are building on so the ground temp doesnt giveway to the starting temp of your floor.


Tell me if I have lost my mind but I was thinking that if a person could create a holding tank with a big magnifing glass on top then the magnified rays of the sun would heat a lot of water. A small DC pump powered by a wind turbine could circulate the water through the foundation and possibly even in the walls for radiant heat. A solar panel requires that cells capture solar energy and convert it to electricity and then that electricity has to be stored in batteries. On those cloudy days you would have the wind turbine to generate electricity to provide the heat source for the water. A large enough magnifing surface and small enough water source would possibly even create steam, right? The magnified or focused power of the sun is capable of much, much more than we will ever know. But can it be used in a single home capacity effectively??

[Farmersfan]

Anyone have any experience with Monolithic Dome houses? I can't really see a logical way to use a "dome" as a viable house but apparently some people are doing it. I can however imagine a combination stucco (concrete) home and Dome design. I would love to have a indoor pool covered by a large dome that has the inside painted to look tropical........... Too Much?????

[BobcatBenny]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
Anyone have any experience with Monolithic Dome houses? I can't really see a logical way to use a "dome" as a viable house but apparently some people are doing it. I can however imagine a combination stucco (concrete) home and Dome design. I would love to have a indoor pool covered by a large dome that has the inside painted to look tropical........... Too Much?????
On problem with covering your pool ... taxes. Or ... at least my speculation.

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by BobcatBenny
On problem with covering your pool ... taxes. Or ... at least my speculation.


Other than an increase in appraised property value how does covering your pool increase your taxes???? Just curious.

[BobcatBenny]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
Other than an increase in appraised property value how does covering your pool increase your taxes???? Just curious.
You are correct, my bad.

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by Ranger Mom
I had a friend who heated her pool with some type of black pipe that was ran back and forth on their fence. It heated the water running through those pipes and put it back in the pool. They didn't use it in the summer, but when it started cooling down thy would, and were able to swim in their pool through November one year.
.
I have worked on two pools like the one you described. That set-up might get you a couple of weeks more enjoyment in fall and spring, but can't help you much in the dead of winter(the summer would get you a large dangerous hot tub if left on). The investment wasn't worth the cost in my opinion.
If Farmersfan wanted to "Go Green" he'd choose a propane or natural gas heater for the pool(if it was smaller than 15,000 gallons lol) if he wanted to swim in it in the winter.
:D

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
I am planning on building a new home in the next year or so and wanted some imput from everyone. I am considering a Mexican adobe style home with solar panels and wind turbines. I want to make it as energy effiecient as possible. All information would be welcome. Anyone know anything about the straw walls or ICF for concrete walls? How about thermo heat tubing in concrete floors? Do these actually work?
.
Don't you know that carbon dioxide (carbon emissions) is essentially plant food?:p :thinking:

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by SintonFan
.
I have worked on two pools like the one you described. That set-up might get you a couple of weeks more enjoyment in fall and spring, but can't help you much in the dead of winter(the summer would get you a large dangerous hot tub if left on). The investment wasn't worth the cost in my opinion.
If Farmersfan wanted to "Go Green" he'd choose a propane or natural gas heater for the pool(if it was smaller than 15,000 gallons lol) if he wanted to swim in it in the winter.
:D


I am not the least bit concerned with going "Green" and I don't have any high and mighty ideas about getting "Off the Grid". I just want a home that is as cost effective as possible The biggest reason is because there are many, many government incentives out there for someone willing to build in "alternative" energy. So I would like to thank all you fine folks in advance for all the financial aid you will give me for building my new house!!!!;) ;) Your donations are greatly appreciated. (for those who would like to donate directly PM me and I will give you my mailing address). :D :D

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by SintonFan
.
Don't you know that carbon dioxide (carbon emissions) is essentially plant food?:p :thinking:


What? Did I miss something?

Remember SintonFan: Small words!! Slowly! So the rest of us can keep up......

[SintonFan]

Sorry, I got caught up in all the green talk lately. (not here)
Energy efficient homes save money.
But non-efficient homes produce more greenhouse gasses so that trees can thrive.:D
That was my thinking but it was late last night.:doh: