insulation

The Photovoltaic roof consists of a set of solar panels assembled to cover the surface of the roof of a house or a building. Don't confuse it with the pool solar heaters, they are used to hot water and not to generate electricity.

There are no moving parts, maintenance requirements are reduced to the minimum terms and consist, mostly in periodic checks of the accumulator battery.

The photovoltaic modules that make up the solar panels, transform the energy received from the sun into electricity used for domestic use in partial or total replacement of conventional supply.

This solar system is feasible even on complex already built but is considerably cheaper, obviously, if already part of the plan for a new building.

Of course, the main advantage of these systems is in the use of an inexhaustible energy source, free and clean. The energy produced by photovoltaic panels is included in the existing electrical system and connected to the supplier of electricity.

Therefore, a practical example is that when it produced more energy than required, the system can assign an energy surplus to the electricity distributor.

The market is increasing its penetration, the experts for the magazine "World Renewable Energy" have estimated a change of 1000 kW in 1990, 2000 in 1993, 7000 in 1996, 36,000 in 1999, 60 thousand in 2000, 800 thousand in 2010.

WE HAVE A ROOF!!!!!
: )
I can not *begin* to tell you what this feels like.
It was so amazing to walk around this weekend, with the wall panels up, taking our silly amateur videos, experiencing the walls of our *dream* finally there, solid... reality.

So imagine how I feel seeing pictures of our modern house structure with a roof.

THANK YOU Ron Bernaldo and Daniel Esh and their crew (um, guess Daniel won't be seeing this since Amish don't have email... :) )- and I look forward to thanking them all in person.

[Much less throw a big party!]

Please welcome again Ron Bernaldo, fabulous contractor.
His voice, I just type. : )
(BTW Ron, er, nice Arnold Schwarzenegger impression there!
Hahahaha!)

"The good news is... if the structure isn't high out of the ground, at least the 16/18 out of the ground, the roof panels are being set with a 4 man crew, because they're light enough they can be set by hand without a forklift or crane. IF it's close to the ground.

The assembly is easier on the roof panels than the walls.

Wednesday we won't get all the panels set because that side of the house (framing structure of the south side with all the clerestory windows, although the windows are on the north side) is more complicated than today's low north side.

I think we can wrap this up by Monday.
IF I'm right, and we wrap up (tomorrow is an Amish wedding and Bear Hunting Day. One Amish is going to a wedding, the others are bear hunting) on Monday, then we will be a day UNDER what I was hoping for.

The Amish driver and I are going to load up and install windows and doors on Friday while the other others are working on the roof panels on the south side."

Copeland's note: "Sigh... our dream is becoming reality!" : )

Our zero energy off grid modern house construction update from our wonderful contractor, Ron Bernaldo! Here he explains the progress and his thoughts, as a contractor who has not worked with structural insulated panels (SIP), or a house kit like our passive solar casa ti house kit.

"Eh, I would say it doesn't take a lot of technical expertise to put the panels together but there are quite a few steps involved, so it's not a speedy process.

We got the 44' wall done, and the one 16' wall done, and the first piece around the corner... it wasn't a wonderful day weather-wise, and I had to take care of some things on another job... but all-in-all we've got one guy filling in the framing, 2 setting panels, and the most experienced carpenter following us just framing in the doors & windows.

The factory rep checked in with us... and I had some questions that they walked me through.

I prefer screws to nails or staples, so I deviated from traditional instructions on that.

I put up a 44' wall today.
Normally we have braces all over the place, and there overnight.
I went up to that wall today, and we couldn't shake it.

It's a neat design. I'm really happy with it.

The panels go together EASY. But you do have to do things as you go along, and that's what slows you down.

One more solid day could get us all the way around the perimeter.
If I can get the perimeter done in 3 days, I might do this in 7 days. (That's my goal.)

One of those interior walls will need to go up first to set the roof panel... so that will slow the perimeter/exterior down.

The only thing I'm unhappy with is the amount of material that did not come with the kit. We need material for the clerestory, for the framing of interior, etc. - so I need to account for that.

But I am still considering in my mind the framing for the extending of the roof on one side... that will eat up time.

That's about it!"

Copeland's note: The house kit is *just* the SIPs and SIP parts, of which I had been clear. I will ask him tomorrow why or what he thought would else have been included- they do come with a window and door schedule, but we are very clear about our "bare bones" - which makes it affordable and flexible for the consumer, who could then make their own decisions according to their style and budget.

There is rain in the forecast, which will certainly slow them down... and I also rescheduled the cladding delivery (it was supposed to be delivered Friday) for next Friday (they only deliver on Fridays), because of the rain. Remember, in a rural lot, you do NOT want to get a truck full o' metal modern cladding stuck in the mud!

I am really looking forward to spending the first night with our children in this house, and sharing it with our friends and family. David Day Design did a beautiful job on an affordable, passive solar house kit for Green Modern Kits.

Build Your Own S.A.B.S. Dream Home

With S.A.B.S. you can truly do it yourself. EPS blocks are lightweight and easy to set in place. GFRC is applied with low pressure and easily smoothed using trowels. These two steps make up the whole shell and can both be done with very little training or experience.

S.A.B.S. does not use heavy materials which makes it possible for anyone to do the job. Panels only weigh 16 – 48lbs and are easy to set in place. GFRC is applied using low pressure so it is easy for anyone to do. With S.A.B.S. you can get as much or as little help as you want.

With S.A.B.S. you can build as fast or as slow as you want to. EPS, if left uncoated, only requires cleaning before GFRC application. S.A.B.S. buildings are built in phases, each completed phase of your house has been checked for structural integrity and can be left without having to worry about something happening to it. If you want to build fast, S.A.B.S. doesn’t hold you back. Each step to completing a S.A.B.S. requires little wait time.

S.A.B.S. has been built in temperatures ranging from -2 to 120 degrees successfully. This doesn’t just extend the building season, it makes all year the build season. So when you start, how long you take, and when you finish are no long issues you have to worry about.

S.A.B.S. is type V-B construction material and limited under type V-B restrictions of the IBC. In short S.A.B.S. is limited to 2 stories with a maximum height of 40ft. Larger projects can be built by utilizing multiple building materials. For a detailed description please see type V-B material limitation in the IBC. S.A.B.S. can be used as floors, interior / exterior walls, and roofs. Because of S.A.B.S. flexibility it can also be used for almost anything from rockwork to waterfalls. Everything in the S.A.B.S. system becomes structural no matter how odd the shape, with no added frame work.

S.A.B.S. has many advantages over any other system on the market. By building or purchasing a house built with S.A.B.S. technology, you are getting a home that will never have a structural fire because GFRC and EPS don’t burn. Your home will also never have water damage, mold or termites. S.A.B.S. box frame composite doesn’t rely on any specific structural members, meaning any damage to your house remains localized. To see a full list of benefits please visit our Benefits page.

http://www.strataus.com/const.html

Find more examoles of EPS Foam construction at: 

http://StyroHomeNews.blogspot.com

For much of the country, fall is in the air and the nights
and early mornings are starting to dip below freezing. For some, it's a welcome
change from hot summer days and sticky summer nights. Other folks aren't so
fond of the cold weather, counting the days until spring peeks its head through
the chilly frost, producing colorful flowers and warm days once again.

Unfortunately, there are those of us who have to live with
the cold and many who live in older, drafty houses that sometimes chill to the
bone. I have a friend who lives in a beautiful Victorian home in suburban
Philadelphia that's simply stunning but fails to keep its residents warm and
toasty during sometimes bitter cold months like January and February. This
long-time friend recently decided to do something more about the poor
insulation in her 100+-year-old home, noting that her aging bones and muscles
weren't dealing with the chill the way they once did.

Being more of a money-saver than a green proponent, she
began to research the "cheapest' way to upgrade the insulation in her huge
home, which has three stories, five bedrooms, and lots of high ceilings. Before
she made any definite decisions, a few eco-conscious friends encouraged her to
investigate some alternatives to the classic pink fiberglass stuff that has
been wreaking havoc with people's health for decades. Fiberglass is destined -
according to many experts - to someday be "the new asbestos". These experts
expect to soon see an onslaught of lawsuits connected to the use of fiberglass,
not unlike the lawsuits for asbestos-caused mesothelioma lawyer
cases that clog the court dockets today, with individuals like shipbuilders and
construction workers seeking mesothelioma
settlements for the severe health problems they now face.

My friend was pleasantly surprised at her options and soon
decided that going green wasn't all that expensive and may be the right
direction for her, especially since she suffers from severe allergies at
particular seasons of the year. She investigated three options;

• Cellulose
  - Some people chuckle when they learn that this insulation product is simply
  finely-shredded newsprint treated with a chemical to reduce mold and strengthen
  fire and heat resistance. They don't laugh, however, when they learn that
  statistics show it reduces energy bills as much as 20-25 percent per year. It's
  become one of the most popular green insulating materials on the market.
• Cotton fiber -
  Not unlike cellulose, cotton fiber insulation has been known to also reduce
  annual energy costs. It's generally crafted from a batted cotton material like
  denim then treated with borate - a natural fire-retardant - which obviously
  increases its fire resistance. Some people jokingly call it "Blue Jean
  Insulation." But the best reason to use it is that it's TOTALLY non-toxic,
  releasing no off-gasses. One popular brand, Ultra Touch by Bonded Logic, was
  recently touted in Newsweek magazine.
• Spray Polyurethane Foams - My friend wasn't
  so impressed with some of these because, after some research, she discovered
  that many of them release PBDEs (polybrominated diethyl ethers), which -
  studies show - can cause some mental health problems. One variety, icynene,
  does not contain PBDEs, but its installation turned out to be rather expensive.
  If you're willing to foot the bill, however, icynene works well and reduces
  energy bills by up to 35 percent, manufacturers say.

Ultimately, my friend went with
the "Blue Jean Insulation." I think she somehow liked to imagine recycled Levis
lining the attic in her grand Victorian home. Though winter hasn't fully set in
yet, she says she notices the difference and already feels like the air in her
home is more pure. She's probably right.

Foam Again, Foam Again, Jiggety Jig!
Insulating your home is not just about the SIPs panels that come with our Green Modern Kits SIPs house kit.

As the weather turns cooler, think of being outside on a frosty day:
Bundled up with a hat, scarf, nice warm coat... and...
no shoes?
Think of the exposed skin losing heat as it gets sucked away in the wind and cold.

Your house is like that too- despite the SIP insulating properties to ensure your home is tight, don't forget to add insulating foam underneath the foundation!

So, our house kit construction begins:

My handsome husband took the morning off of work to drive out and receive our foam as it was delivered by truck from the factory. And when he returned, I asked anxiously, homesick, "Was the land beautiful?" "It was."

To save costs and be more "green"/not using a delivery for a single purpose, we asked the factory to use "Piggybacking."

Think of Piggybacking as carpooling for freight products! Instead of truck one (and we're talking eighteen wheeler trucks!) driving Cargo1 to North Carolina, it can make stops along it's way and drop off packages 1, 2, 3... that reduce its wasted space during a drive, making delivery more efficient.

Piggybacking is more efficient and less wasteful for the company, while usually decreasing the cost for the consumer! (And that ain't no pork I'm tellin' ya!) 

Keep yer eyes peeled, because yes, finally, it all begins.

Healthier Spray Foam Insulation: The Green Cocoon installer spraying foam insulation to enhance a building's energy efficiency. The Green Cocoon uses a spray foam that substitutes some carbon-producing ingredients with soy-based ones.

New mixtures for spray foam insulation successfully uses healthier ingredients in a construction staple that is already widely accepted as fairly green. Spray foam insulation has been applied in many types of building projects. Chosen primarily for its excellent insulating and sound-dampening qualities, spray foam is a big player in achieving LEED Points by reducing the demands for heating and cooling thus reducing energy consumption. The benefits of this product outweigh the negative points associated with spray foam, most notably the oil that is mixed with a foaming catalyst to produce it. Traditionally, spray foam is made with petrol-based oil, which, of course, is a large contributor of carbon. It is seemingly a necessary evil: not a 100% green option, but the best option available.

Heightening the competition in the green product arena foam producers are using “a soybean based polyol that can replace the conventional petroleum-based polyols [and] help the polyurethane industry become less dependent on imported mineral Crude oil” (http://www.biobasedtechnologies.com/). See my “simple duck” references below for definitions! The percentage of soybean-based substitution currently varies by manufacturer but could be upwards of twenty percent when combined with renewable and recycled materials.

This smart substitution method should act as a model for other companies that produce materials consumed by the construction industry. Investing in research and working towards higher standards of sustainability can only pay off in the end as more building projects demand the healthiest, most eco-friendly products from businesses that strive to uphold responsible practices.

“Simple Duck” terminology (as promised, which I needed in order to write about this):

What is a polyol?

A polyol is a sugar alcohol. Polyol molecules can be chained together using certain chemical procedures to produce polyesters. Soybean-based polyols have been used as a petrol-substitute to manufacture parts of farm vehicles like John Deere tractors. (Deere & Co.)

What does the polyurethane industry produce?

Varnish, skateboard/rollerblade wheels, furniture and car seat foam. Maybe these will be the next products to get a boost of green-esteem from the diverse soybean.

This post was submitted by ThinkDwell. Visit Our Blog.

Part 4 of our 15-part Q&A series on all aspects of green building from the publishers of HealthyHouseInstitute.com. Click here for the introductory post and furthur details.

Question: We’re considering building a house with steel framing. Does it have any particular advantages?

Answer: Light-weight steel framing is becoming popular with some builders. It consists of C-shaped studs and channels that are usually lighter-in-weight than wood. Everything is held together with self-tapping screws, and the studs typically have holes prepunched in them for electrical wires and plumbing lines. This saves drilling time, but the holes have sharp edges, so they must be fitted with plastic grommets to prevent plastic-jacketed wiring from getting nicked and shorting out. Steel framing is also very uniform in size, it has no knots, and it won’t warp.

The biggest health-related advantage to steel is the fact that it never needs to be treated for termites. So, where toxic chemical use is the norm, or where less-toxic alternative treatments aren’t feasible, steel is a great option.

Although it’s not a concern for most people, some very sensitive individuals are bothered by the natural odor of wood, and steel is odor-free. Most framing lumber is pine or another softwood, and the odor is composed of the same chemicals in turpentine. These sensitive people are just reacting to much lower levels of the same pollutants that have the potential to bother all of us.