Introduction The quest for the most efficient wall design has led to various innovations, but one concept stands out as a champion in terms of performance: thermal mass on the inside and insulation on the outside. This design approach combines the advantages of both elements, offering remarkable energy efficiency, temperature regulation, and comfort. In this … Read more
In an era of escalating environmental concerns and the urgent need to mitigate climate change, sustainable design for buildings has emerged as a paramount solution. Sustainable design seeks to create structures that minimize their ecological footprint, conserve resources, and promote a healthier, more resilient future for both humans and the planet. Surprisingly, the driving force … Read more
With its flooding, dustiness, droughts and packs of coyotes, New Mexico is not an easy place to live off-grid. Despite this, New Mexico is becoming increasingly popular as a place for people who want to disconnect from the utilities and live a self-reliant lifestyle. Is Off-Grid Living Legal in New Mexico? Many parts of New … Read more
Keep the building warm in the winter and cool in the summer with little to no utility bills / fossil fuels. This increases both psychological and physiological comfort. These Videos cover the details of the Heating & Cooling Buildings Book. Part 1: Thermal Comfort, Adaptive Comfort, Degree Days. Part 2: Passive Solar, Heating Types, Heat … Read more
An Earthship home is a type of passive solar house that is made of both natural and upcycled materials (such as earth-packed tires). Earthships can be completely off-grid or partially off-grid. Earthships can be built in any part of the world, in any climate (with a permit) and still provide electricity, potable water, contained sewage treatment and sustainable food production. Earthships are thermal mass … Read more
When we think of insulation often times, the color pink and the feeling of itchiness is what comes to mind. While insulation is designed to reduce energy costs, in that sense, any insulation could technically be considered green. But eco-friendliness comes down to so much more than that – the manufacturing process, materials, and toxicity … Read more
▶Off Grid and Self-Sustaining Homes with Jonah Reynolds of EarthShipsPlay video · loads YouTube Have you heard of Earth Ships? This episode is with Jonah Reynolds, Earthship Biotect – which is the number one eco-construction and self-sufficient living design. Off-grid, self-sustainable houses. Absolutely an alternative investment. We talk about their construction, how they work and … Read more
The Passive House Standard for low-energy buildings is being put through its paces in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market. The Ice Box Challenge involves putting two identical 720-kilogram blocks of ice under two separate structures – one built to the Australian Building Code, and the other to the Passive House Standard. The boxes will then be … Read more
These walls systems are all solid walls made out of dense materials, of which the modern Brick, Block and poured concrete walls are the most common variety. Since these common variants are all have very low R-values, a fairly high embodied energy, and are familiar to most people, this discussion is about alternatives to those. … Read more
Insulation materials run the gamut from bulky fiber materials such as fiberglass, rock and slag wool, cellulose, and natural fibers to rigid foam boards to sleek foils. Bulky materials resist conductive and — to a lesser degree — convective heat flow in a building cavity. Rigid foam boards trap air or another gas to resist … Read more
