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| Greenbuilding Archive for October 2001 |
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| 221 messages, last added Tue Nov 26 17:26:03 2002 |
[Date Index][Thread Index]
No Subject
Affordability is a design issue that is addressed principally by size of =
home and degree of finishing. Typically this is not a major issue as =
greenbuilding is affordable within most conventional budgets with a few =
tradeoffs, i.e. if you are willing to work within the low end of a =
typical size of home you can trade off the extra footage for the cost of =
building more responsibly. By building more responsibly I mean that you =
can work with materials that will be both healthier and will have more =
quality in terms of maintenance and performance. So in developing an =
initial design you should look for a design that is focused both on =
conserving and 'maximizing' a minimal use of space. This is one of the =
values that you will want to express and see developed by someone you =
approach to work with you. Practically this means developing plans that =
eliminate a lot of hallways and a lot of trim.
Energy conservation is approached in a two-fold way. Initially by a =
conservation of space and then by both a sensitivity to site and a =
consideration of the technology available. Site development is both =
orienting to solar and microclime. Technology (HVAC) typically is an =
expense that can often only be realized as a long term investment. If =
you are in a position to amortize that investment over time then you can =
possibly gain by being environmentally progressive. If not then you have =
to work out the best compromise. Typically I focus on maximum insulation =
and protective envelope with ventilation and heat recovery. This is the =
best initial cost scenario to build from as it is independent of heat =
'systems'., i.e. if you spend your money on insulation and then on =
recovering all the latent heat that living in a home involves - then you =
are in a position to develop both passive and active systems of heating =
and cooling with the maximum benefit and in a minimal way. Most HVAC =
systems I find are overkill for a well insulated and ventilated home. I =
would rather see someone focus on basic high insulation and heat =
recovery and then spend a little on alternate solar systems - I think =
this is far more progressive than a large investment in geothermal or =
other high capital heating/cooling systems.
What you ask about in terms of lumber specs and insulation and finishing =
products is project and design specific. Projects can include no wood =
products, or 'engineered wood products' or a myriad of other things. I =
find those questions to be site specific in a way depending on climatic =
and social conditions (everything from soil to weather conditions to =
what the local labour base is able to do - local labour expertise is a =
lesson I've just learned in a hard way).=20
These are very generalized answers that I know will not satisfy but as =
you develop your plans and ideas I hope you will find this list =
responsive to helping you, as it typically has been quite good.
good luck with your home and please keep asking all the basic question =
as you will find a good level of direct expertise on the forum.
John Salmen
TERRAIN E.D.S.
> I am in the beginning stages of designing a new home. However, none of
> the
> people I have spoken to seem to incorporate 'green building' into
> residential building in our area (at least, no one I spoke to). I have
> been reading much on my own, but have lost perspective on realistic
> expectations of what we can incorporate. Although I have been =
following
> this e-mail list for months, I cannot carry out sustainable design
> without specs for the right names of the materials.
> 1. HVAC system (active & passive solar energy, geothermal pumps, etc.)
> 2. Lumber specs
> 3. Insulation products
> 4. Specifications of finishing products (in particular the glues and
> other chemicals used)
>
> For those of you who have expressed discouragement that no one cares
> about the environment as they go forth and build, you have an
> opportunity to influence this family if only I can get the details
> necessary for construction. Any direction or resources are appreciated
> (just don't tell me to read another book - I've beeen to local and
> university libraries!)
> Thanks.
> Joan
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Joan</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I regret to say that I've been ignoring the
list for a while but as a long time contributor feel a bit apologetic for the
tone that it has taken. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My first response is to look harder for
someone local, but also to take a bit of time to develop a perspective on
the approach that you want to take. There are various levels involved in
building responsibly and you need to define what is appropriate for you as a set
of values that you can communicate well and clearly to all the parties that will
be involved in your home. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From your list I can determine that you are
interested in building with some degree of energy efficiency and in a way that
will result in a building that will not affect your families health adversely -
and that you want to do this in a way that is 'realistic', meaning both
affordable and comfortable.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Affordability is a design issue that is addressed
principally by size of home and degree of finishing. Typically this is not a
major issue as greenbuilding is affordable within most conventional budgets with
a few tradeoffs, i.e. if you are willing to work within the low end of a typical
size of home you can trade off the extra footage for the cost of building more
responsibly. By building more responsibly I mean that you can work with
materials that will be both healthier and will have more quality in terms of
maintenance and performance. So in developing an initial design you should look
for a design that is focused both on conserving and 'maximizing' a
minimal use of space. This is one of the values that you will want to
express and see developed by someone you approach to work with you. Practically
this means developing plans that eliminate a lot of hallways and a lot of
trim.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Energy conservation is approached in a two-fold
way. Initially by a conservation of space and then by both a sensitivity to site
and a consideration of the technology available. Site development is both
orienting to solar and microclime. Technology (HVAC) typically is an expense
that can often only be realized as a long term investment. If you are in a
position to amortize that investment over time then you can possibly gain by
being environmentally progressive. If not then you have to work out the best
compromise. Typically I focus on maximum insulation and protective envelope with
ventilation and heat recovery. This is the best initial cost scenario to build
from as it is independent of heat 'systems'., i.e. if you spend your money on
insulation and then on recovering all the latent heat that living in a home
involves - then you are in a position to develop both passive and active systems
of heating and cooling with the maximum benefit and in a minimal way. Most HVAC
systems I find are overkill for a well insulated and ventilated home. I would
rather see someone focus on basic high insulation and heat recovery and then
spend a little on alternate solar systems - I think this is far more progressive
than a large investment in geothermal or other high capital
heating/cooling systems.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What you ask about in terms of lumber specs and
insulation and finishing products is project and design specific. Projects can
include no wood products, or 'engineered wood products' or a myriad of other
things. I find those questions to be site specific in a way depending on
climatic and social conditions (everything from soil to weather conditions to
what the local labour base is able to do - local labour expertise is a lesson
I've just learned in a hard way). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>These are very generalized answers that I know will
not satisfy but as you develop your plans and ideas I hope you will find this
list responsive to helping you, as it typically has been quite
good.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>good luck with your home and please keep asking all
the basic question as you will find a good level of direct expertise on the
forum.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>John Salmen</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>TERRAIN E.D.S.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>> I am in
the beginning stages of designing a new home. However, none of<BR>>
the<BR>> people I have spoken to seem to incorporate 'green building'
into<BR>> residential building in our area (at least, no one I spoke to). I
have<BR>> been reading much on my own, but have lost perspective on
realistic<BR>> expectations of what we can incorporate. Although I have
been following<BR>> this e-mail list for months, I cannot carry out
sustainable design<BR>> without specs for the right names of the
materials.<BR>> 1. HVAC system (active & passive solar energy, geothermal
pumps, etc.)<BR>> 2. Lumber specs<BR>> 3. Insulation products<BR>> 4.
Specifications of finishing products (in particular the glues and<BR>> other
chemicals used)<BR>><BR>> For those of you who have expressed
discouragement that no one cares<BR>> about the environment as they go forth
and build, you have an<BR>> opportunity to influence this family if only I
can get the details<BR>> necessary for construction. Any direction or
resources are appreciated<BR>> (just don't tell me to read another book -
I've beeen to local and<BR>> university libraries!)<BR>> Thanks.<BR>>
Joan</FONT><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>
--Boundary_(ID_jvj/ZmLg++ZSRdC3CwUqdw)--
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