The Now House
Submitted by smith on Tue, 07/24/2007 - 3:39pm
From an unlikely source, Red Hat online magazine, mostly by and for computer geeks, comes open source sustainable housing re-design in Canada. They call it the Now House. This is an idea that is certainly in need of wide exposure - the idea that existing buildings can be retrofitted to be more energy-efficient and also to emit less in the way of pollution.
We have been working on this with our own house for over a year now - we replaced our roof with a high-R-value metal roof, 3/4 inch plywood, and double layers of insulation, and also added 4 Solatubes and a solar-powered attic vent fan (Solatube has them, but we didn't know that when we got ours). We've seen a huge drop in our electrical bill, we used less heat all winter and we've got the AC set much higher than most people do (78F). We're far from done with our retrofit, but I'm determined to stay in this house for at least 40 years, in spite of Carolina North, so I'm hoping to get some good ideas out of the rest of this series.
A great idea for the owner of an older home.
Newer homes can be built to use very little energy. I know some are but no idea how widespread a practice it is. But those of us in the position of having to invest time and money in our older structures need all the help we can get.
My 100 year old home needs some major changes to make it energy efficient but I sure would like advice on how best to accomplish that.
I went ahead and saved that page you linked to 'cause there is someone complaining about the content to being appropriate for that site. I hope part 2 shows up somewhere.
Progressives are the true conservatives.
Since I keep an eye on Red
Since I keep an eye on Red Hat I'll watch for it and post it here.
First of all, think about your roof. Heat rises, yes? Do you have adequate insulation between your ceiling and roof? I was astonished to find out that my actual roof on my 55-year-old house was slat-and-shingle, with many rotten spots and huge gaps where there was no insulation at all and really lousy ventilation. We used metal shingle-look roofing of a very high albedo (fancy way of saying it's almost white), and the difference is astonishing!
- BJ
- BJ
Roofs - Rooves?
I saw one in Smithfield - but it's scalloped and it's blue. I want one, too.
btw ... do know Albedo of Zero? good friend.
I too went to 78 this summer
cause it said my power would go down. Well, I have had two visitors all summer, so I cannot say my power bill went down but keeping the house set at 78 vice the 70 I normally did has not changed my comfort level.
Guess dry 78 is more comfortable then a humid 78.
Aint that what AC units effectively do anyways? Remove the humidity first, lower temp as an aside?
I recommend moving that thermometer up to 78. Maybe you can have a more scientific assestment then I was able to.
We keep our house at 78 in the summer
because AC freezes me out, and makes my bones hurt. Hubby and son have to deal with it and remove articles of clothing if they can't handle it. :-D
In the winter, we keep me warm with lots of sweaters and socks, and I've got to admit it, the most wonderful wood-burning fireplace. Probably not ecologically the best thing in the world--but it doesn't use electricity.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Icloud, the lover of all things good
In the winter time, she looks out the window of her house over the freshly snow covered trees and bushes. The tracks of the deer in her back yard. If shes lucky, she might see a bunny or fox jumping trying to keep their little feet dry and she sighs.
OOOOO look at all that fire wood! hubby, im cold, go zap one of them trees and toss it on the fire!
Just had to write that! Im lauging at my own sillyness.
You're laughing, Parmea
But it's not far from the truth. It is indeed all about my comfort. :-D
But we buy our firewood locally, and collect a lot of natural stuff that's fallen over the summer. So that counts for something, eh?
Actually, when we we use the fireplace, we shut off the back part of the house, and it heats the living room and kitchen to the point that the furnace rarely comes on. And yes, I often sleep in the living room in the winter.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
That's the real reason,
That's the real reason, originally, anyway - I HATE being cold, and my husband works outside year-round, so he doesn't need to be acclimatized to a 72F house.
In the winter we use a wood stove with a catalytic converter, which is terrific in several ways. The stove is far more efficient at heating the house than a fireplace is, so it uses much less wood.
- BJ
- BJ
That's interesting
I'll have to get hubby looking into that before next winter.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi