Tag: solar architecture
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My off-grid homestead ideas (1): construction and design
Starting with this post, I wanted to share with you my ideas on my off-grid house and homestead. I’ll begin with the general ideas on design and house construction, used materials, techniques, etc. The very first draft of my house design is ready, but some details need to be corrected. It looks like typical small […]
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5 ways to harness solar thermal energy
Today I wanted to show you in brief 5 good ways to use solar energy to produce useful heat. Most people probably at this moment think about solar thermal collectors for domestic hot water, but there are many other possibilities. Of course I will write about solar collectors, though it’s not a device I suggest […]
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Garbage warrior
This week I watched the “Garbage warrior”, a film about american architect, Mike Reynolds. This documentary shows several buildings and subdivisions built by Reynolds, starting with the Thumb House, and the Earthship, of course. This film was highly motivating and inspiring for me. I am wondering if I could add some tires with rammed earth […]
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Off-grid heating, ventilation and cooling
Off-grid house should not get any energy input from outside. It should use only energy generated on-site. Because of that, in my opinion a house that’s powered by propane (for genset, cooking and heating) is not off the grid. But in cool climates most of the energy is required for heating and domestic hot water. […]
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Passive solar: interior thermal mass
Thermal mass on the interior of the building is able to store heat or cold, and then slowly release it back out to the surrounding air. Heat from a sunny winter day as well as the coolness of a summer night can be retained inside the insulated shell of the exterior walls if the building […]