RE: [GBlist] Solarizing our society

[Brian McMaster <bmcmaster@swrpc.org>]

I encountered such a project in 1979-80 when I was a student at Davidson College outside Charlotte NC.  It was called the Solar Greenhouse Employment Project.  The idea was to build solar greenhouse additions (aprox. 10'x20' ) onto the houses of low-income persons, preferably those with a high profile within their community who could become advocates of the technology and help the idea to spread. The construction was very simple: hand-dug foundation trenches (not a very deep frost line in NC) with a footing of crushed stone on which concrete block was laid up dry, and then stucco-ed with Surewall, then 2x6 frame construction, single glazing of Kalwall, and an asphalt shingled roof.  The greenhouses were built onto a south facing wall where an existing door or window could simply be opened to let heat into the house, and closed at night.  Black 55 gal. drums of water against the house provided thermal mass and a surface to put flats of plants on.  You can see similar designs in Rodale's "The Solar Greenhouse Book" circa mid '70s but still a definitive reference. The climate around Charlotte is ideal for this simple set-up, since the need for winter heating is real, but the weather rarely severe (by my New Hampshire standards).  A door on one end of the greenhouse and a vent on the other end were needed to dump summer heat.  Labor was recruited from community members and idealistic college students like me.  I can't say how many of these were built in NC other than the 2 that I worked on, but 20 years later I built a version of it into my house.   

-----Original Message-----
From:	Thomas M Hughes-Lampros [SMTP:tlampros@UDel.Edu]
Sent:	Wednesday, January 23, 2002 1:45 PM
To:	Greenbuilding
Subject:	[GBlist] Solarizing our society

Greetings,

The discussion on this list often becomes esoteric and intangible.

Ironically, the people who really need green building techniques are the
people who can least afford them.  To combat this, I am organizing a
non-profit organization to educate youth how to build and maintain a solar
thermal system.  I hope to extend this to PV systems as well.

The objective of the organization will be to install these systems on the
homes of low- and fixed-income families and individuals.  It has been
pointed out to me that this will have the advantage of providing not only
needed heat and hot water, and building skills to the youth, but also
providing life skills training.

Any individuals with a background in solar thermal systems, CDBG
grant-writing, and project management who are interested in improving
low-income living conditions and the environment are welcome to contact
me.

Tom Hughes-Lampros			tlampros@udel.edu
Institute of Energy Conversion		tel: 302.831.3523
University of Delaware			fax: 302.831.6226
Wyoming Rd.
Newark, DE 19716

When we turn our face to the sun,
we feel the power to heal the earth.

"First they ignore you
   Then they laugh at you
        Then they fight you
                Then you win"

                     -Gandhi

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress.
Power concedes nothing without a demand." -- Frederick Douglas

"Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul." -Edward Abbey

Work is love made visible.  And if you cannot work with love but only with
distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate
of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.
  -- Kahlil Gibran




______________________________________________________________________
This greenbuilding dialogue is sponsored by REPP/CREST, creator of
Solstice http://www.crest.org, and BuildingGreen, Inc., publisher of
Environmental Building News and GreenSpec http://www.BuildingGreen.com
______________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________________________________
This greenbuilding dialogue is sponsored by REPP/CREST, creator of
Solstice http://www.crest.org, and BuildingGreen, Inc., publisher of
Environmental Building News and GreenSpec http://www.BuildingGreen.com
______________________________________________________________________