Cohousing-L Mailing List: GO SOLAR (formerly heating)

[Ross M Donald (rnn]

> 
>    Date: Thu, 17 Nov 94 20:01 CST
>    From: Ross M Donald <rnn [at] world.std.com>
> 
>    =>the use of renewable or at least lower-polluting energy
>    =>sources...
> 
>       Choosing between gas and oil and even electric,
>    often, is like tweedle dum and tweedle dee, in
>    environmental and ecological terms.  Even the economics
>    is changeable.  Some, who switched from oil to natural
>    gas, are now switching back!
> 
>       GO SOLAR!
> 
>                --------> <RNN> Renewable News Network
>                              rnn [at] world.std.com
> 
> 
> Natural gas pipelines may provide an excellent bit of solar infrastructure
> if methane from biomass conversion ever catches on in a big way (which I

        Even if this were to happen, the pipes now being used would be 
beyond their design life by then.  Existing pipes will most likely never be 
used for biogas.

> thermodynamically efficient, and (potentially) renewable.

        POTENTIALLY, but not now.  SOLAR is available now.

> I wouldn't say
> that selecting gas is in any way "anti-solar."

        Jerry, my good fellow, have you lost your mind?  In a world of 
limited choices, as they say, the extent to which solar energy is 
utilized, it is displacing the consumption of gas, oil, or other 
nonrenewable, polluting, and otherwise environmentally damaging, 
unhealthy and unsafe energy source.

        ...and the next building going up somewhere in the world, will be 
making the choice between this and that...

                -ross
 
> -- Jerry Callen >    jcallen [at] world.std.com           (preferred)
>    jcallen [at] think.com               (OK, too)
>    {uunet,harvard}!think!jcallen   (if you must)
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Sun, 20 Nov 94 01:27:17 PDT
> From: Charles Ehrlich <chas [at] innernet.com>
> To: cohousing-l [at] uci.com
> Subject: Re: EcoHousing (FWD)
> Message-ID: <AAF45679 [at] innernet.com>
> 
> >Don Maddox w: dmaddox [at] sr.hp.com h: donm [at] crl.com Santa Rosa, Ca
> >is the author of this message but
> >due to a listserv problem it was posted by the COHOUSING-L sysop.
> >
> >-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >Hello All,
> >
> >In the meantime I want to pursue a dream of mine.  That is to
> >incorporate ecohousing concepts into the construction of this
> >cohousing project.  I have in mind some or all of the following:
> >
> >* Passive solar heating and cooling
> >* Extra insulation in the exterior walls
> >* Solar hot water backed up with on-demand hot water heaters
> >* Efficient lighting
> >* Efficient refrigeration
> >* Community gardening, composting, and recycling
> >
> Don,
> 
> I'm glad a member of the Santa Rosa Group is on-line!  My wife and
> I would love to be involved, but we are not at the right point in
> our lives to be so far from "The City."  I'm planning on going to
> grad school at UCB College of Environmental Design in '95 for my
> Masters in Building Science.  Currently I work at the Pacific Gas &
> Electric Energy Center.  One of us at the center, me included, would
> be happy to avail ourselves and the Center for your project team's
> exploration of energy efficiency.  We can offer a design review by
> qualified architects and lighting experts, use of center equipment
> including heliodon, light meters, glazing samples, and not to mention
> a general tour of the Center which helps to raise everyone's general
> knowledge level of energy efficiency issues.
> 
> I would add to your wish list, a commitment to find alternatives to
> trees for the structure of your buildings.  Toward that end I offer
> information on two wall products/methods: Energrid and Insteel.
> 
>      Energrid by Integrid Systems, Inc. (formerly rastra)
>      A recycled styrofoam and concrete "block"
>      R-24 for a 10" thick wall (conservative estimate)
>      Blocks are mfgr'd as one piece 15" tall by 10' long
>      Blocks form a 15" x 15" post-and-beam structure
>      Walls are laid-out and glued-together with rebar in place
>      Doors and windows are formed with end-cap units
>      Entire floor of walls is poured with concrete at once
>      Very strong, 2-HR fire rated, readily available
>      Accepts traditional building "cladding" w/o hassle
>      Possible minus: 
>      thermal mass is insulated from interior space
>      does not wick water :-) but is not water-tight=ext. cladding req'd.
> 
>      Insteel by InSteel Construction Systems, Inc.
>      Panels of styrofoam (not recycled) and steel mesh 8' by ___ ft
>      R-13 to R-19 depending upon thickness of styrofoam
>      Walls are laid-out, openings cut-out and panels welded together
>      Spray-on concrete (shotcrete) is applied to both sides
>      Trowell finish for int. gyp-bd look or as-is for ext. stucco look
>      Possible minus:
>      Requires additional trade(s)?
>      More expensive than tree framing
> 
> E-mail me for contact info...I left it at work: cke1 [at] pge.com.
> 
> -Chas
> +-------------------------------+------------------------+
> | Charles Ehrlich               |   Archt'l 3D Modeling  |
> | Space & Light                 |   Energy Efficiency    |
> | radiance [at] innernet.com         |   Daylighting Design   |
> | 842 Folsom St. #197, SF, CA   |   Lighting Analysis    |
> | 415 905-4438 24hr messages    |   Radiance Consulting  |
> +-------------------------------+------------------------+
> 
>      
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of COHOUSING-L Digest 325
> *****************************
>