Off the Grid Sustainable Housing Options
The Validity of an Eco-House?
Many homes today are looking to be carbon neutral but the new trend is carbon positive where homes sell excess energy pack to the grid. Sustainability is the core principle behind the work of this prefabricated modular with its not just carbon neutral but carbon positive house. Rather than carbon-neutrality, the compact home is designed around carbon-positivity. It's equipped with everything it needs to not just break even, but make a positive environmental impact by producing more energy than it needs (“http://www.cnet.com/news/prefab-tiny-home-generates-more-power-than-it-uses/” nod., Para 1-5).
The one-bedroom house is equipped with a number of
features to minimize the amount of power it requires
while maximizing the amount of power it produces.
Power is harvested from photovoltaic panels mounted
on the roof. In order to maintain a comfortable interior
climate, the roof is also turned for natural insulation,
bolstered by natural Earth wool batting in the ceiling and
floor. Meanwhile, in-ground "cool tubes" keep the home
cool in summer by ducting air underground, where it is
naturally cooled. The north face of the house –
which collects the most sunlight in the southern hemisphere
is a sunroom, which collects the warmth from the sun in
winter, but keeps the direct sunlight from the main living
areas in summer. This room can also be used as a
greenhouse for growing food plants; and sliding planters
on the exterior side walls of the house can also be used
for planting food, while also blocking sun penetration.
Overall, the house represents a CO2 saving of 116 percent.
Figure 1: The house is Carbon Positive due to all of its energy saving features.
http://www.cnet.com/news/prefab-tiny-home-generates-more-power-than-it-uses/
The Solution: Eco-House 1:
The solution is the development of Eco-house 1 designed to meet the average millennial housing needs for the 21st century. The house is designed for rural location. Many people who live off grid have their own livestock and grow their own food and are able to barter for goods and services such as selling eggs or vegetables to facilitate their lifestyle. One common element of those I interviewed and talked with over the phone is the fact that they have really enjoyed their off grid lifestyle experience, they have a sense of control of their own lives and destiny and feel a sense of contentment and peace and a lessening of their anxieties due to a simpler lifestyle.
The design is a carbon neutral house that comes in two sizes of either 740 square feet or 1000 square feet which is based on a 4' x 8' modular panel construction using sustainable FSC lumber and materials. The design of the house provides the basic living functions for a family of two or four. The design can be adaptable to work within the four different geographical regions of the country with minor modifications to its design to meet regional differences in terms of construction and climate requirements. For example roof slopes and angles of solar collectors and use of materials will be different. The prototype will have earthquake bracing for West Coast conditions, hurricane design for the southeast as well as considerations for additional heating and thermal requirements in the New England and north Atlantic area. The four by eight exterior wood siding insulated panel is built within an wood stud frame construction on a masonry slab on grade with masonry walls for thermal retention and passive solar design. The four by eight module has wood siding panel on one side and interior wood siding on the other with built in studs in between with framing for windows or doors as required and is set into the wood stud frame that works like a sliding track system. The insulation between the studs is a combination of R-19 earthwool insulated batts, old clothing and old recycled drapery fabric that is coated with a low VOC fire retardant to give the home optimum insulation properties. The designs are fully accessible with universal design in mind so that anyone who does become disabled or physically challenged will be able to remain in residence. The home provides basic functionality in terms of a traditional kitchen with a pantry, living room area with television. One bathroom that is physically accessible with compostable toilet and two bedrooms.
The smaller version of the home at 740 square feet can be fitted for 1 to 2 people with the 1000 square foot version here for a family of three or four. All both designs are based on the same module. The design is totally carbon neutral providing its own water system through rainwater harvesting and a large water tank sufficient to old enough water 13,000 gallons for one year for a family of four. It has a solar septic system with a leech fields and with gray water distribution to take the water waste from sinks, dishwasher and clothes washer to water the plants.
The water cistern and rain water harvesting system works in conjunction with the water filter and pump and this water is stored to replenish the drinkable water in the water tank. The home takes advantage of many passive solar features such as a large expanse of south facing glass with a solarium of glass windows that acts as a heat sink with Terra Cotta tile flooring to help absorb heat in winter and to keep the home cool in summer. There is a propane stove for heating in the center of a home for the living area with smaller heaters in each bedroom. The home also provides ductless HVAC system run through the house with refrigeration tubes connected to an a compressor unit outside. Power for the home is generated through solar panels and a wind turbine system. Solar panels are mounted on your roof and convert sunlight into DC electricity that flows to an inverter and the inverter Creates AC Electricity. Inverters convert the direct current (DC) power into alternating (AC) power that your home can use all which is stored in a battery system for use later. The design also provides a generator that harnesses electrical power to run the lights managed by an electrical panel to meet electrical power requirements for the entire home. The home is fully wired and meets all current building department requirements for electrical wiring and safety. The generator is run by the battery system that runs the lights and all of the power for the home. The Generator can also be run on propane in the winter months when sunlight is not as readily available or emergencies.
Figure 1: (Left) Rainwater harvesting system with water tank and pump similar to Eco-House 1.
http://www.sfia.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/greywater.jpg
Figure 2: (Right) Hybrid Power System similar to Eco-House 1.
