Lingering nagging bits

Still don't have "google sketch up" up and running yet. Would like to punch in some ideas. 

Heights- need to make sure that the lowest point is a tad higher that the ceiling in our living room. Funny story - hubby reads the paper, then stands up and stretches. Leaves finger prints on the ceiling! Probably won't be able to change his habit, but will for sure plan on the lowest point being calculated! Carefully! 

Solar - still won't know if it is possible till all the trees are down... 

But hypothetically a possibility. 

It sounds like we have to choose between 

A) a solar unit that feeds a battery bank

Or 

B) a solar unit tied to a grid (net zero)

The grid connected is good. But when the power goes down (not if) it won't work. What's the point if you still have to live for 6 days without heat, boiling water to wash dishes, and no hot showers???? 

There must be a way to say "oh?? Grid is down?? Okay. Lets have the solar energy feed batteries while this gets worked out. " 

Or maybe two separate systems? 

Essential basic stuff should be able to run on back up solar power 

Heat in the floors

Master bath hot water heater - warm shower

Kitchen sink hot water heater - washing dishes

Clothes washer (not dryer) - and not for hot water but for running the machine. 

Kitchen lights

Fridge in kitchen

Freezer in garage 

One outlet for charging gadgets...

.....

And the TV... Maybe... That's a tough one... 

The other issue is my strong desire to have a garbage disposal. I know I'm being pig headed wanting it. 

So ... Would it be possible to have a tank system? 

The garbage disposal to have its own drain? It would grind up the waste. And the Ort would go to the tank. About every three years we would switch over to the other tank. 

Confused? 

Lemme explain..

Once sat on an outhouse toilet. 

After making a deposit, you were to toss on a handful of saw dust. 

After three years of "deposits" they used the other toilet (toilet b).

While they used toilet B, the pile under toilet A turned into compost. At the end of 3 years, they emptied the tank under toilet a, started using toilet A again, and then toilet b got to have a three years break while its pile turned to compost. 

Surely,,, there must be a way to do this, septic tank style, in the yard, with two small tanks that service JUST the garbage disposal. I mean really?!? You should, at this point, be breathing a sigh of relief that Im only talking about food waste! Ha ha! 

Stones

So the diagrams I have seen about passive solar talk about increasing your heat storage by having some sort of thermal mass.

Sure - concrete floors are awesome. But I will - in all likely hood - have furniture on the floors too. This would prevent the floors from absorbing all they can. 

They also suggest a wall of some sort. 

What if....

We do the stone in the kitchen around the stove - so it looks like a giant hearth -  then use that SAME STONE  in the living room on a wall between the living room and library or bedroom. That would be our heat sink wall. 

Would maybe need to plan the foundation to have a slab there to bear the weight? 

And about that hearth stove arch idea - lets make CERTAIN it's HUGE! So no tall folks have anything to bang their heads on! It's very possible that the next generation will be even taller! 

Beams. Big beams look great with stone.  Lets see what we come up with...

Mmmm.... 

Goals reviewed

I do not think it is possible to build a home, in that location, that is fully off the grid. I believe there are limitations - out of my control, that limit the practicality of solar or wind. 

I still think it is worth trying to achieve an off grid home. 

When the almost annual blizzards and hurricanes wipe out power for days on end, I want to be a bit prepared. 

When we get done clearing the land, we will have a better idea of what is possible for solar. The best way would be net zero. But when the net is down, are you fully STUCK with no power? From all I have read it seems you must choose one or the other?  There must be a way to switch over to battery charging. Maybe one smaller unit that powers a limited number of things via battery, and the rest it net zero grid tied ... And maybe can be switch over when needed. Mmm... Won't know till the trees are down. 

When we are fully retired and living on a fixed income - there will always be taxes... But avoiding the paralyzing affects of rising oil prices... Being able to have hot water, and heat, without worrying if there will be any money left to buy food. 

Food prices will rise. 

I hope to have a garden. And maybe some chickens / rabbits. I could trade eggs, rabbit fur/meat, for fish, clams, any number of things. I like the barter system.

I have on my reading list a book about designing a home for people of all ages and needs - old, wheelchair, ....

I still think this is important. 

 

Reading list - book gift suggestions???

I would like these books ...for Christmas???

Maybe from amazon?

 Used is perfect! 

The cheaper the better! 

"Green from the ground up" by David Johnston 

"Building with Structural Insulated Panels" by Michael Morley 

"

Prefabulous & sustainable

Building and customizing an affordable energy efficient home"

By Sheri koones

"Towards a zero energy home"

By David Johnston 

"Living off the grid

A simple guide to creating and maintaining a self reliant supply of energy, water, shelter, and more "

By David black

"The Accessable Home 

Designing for all ages and abilities"

By Deborah pierce and Michael graves

And then a few books on passive solar heating and cooling: 

Perhaps a few titles to cull from?

"Passive solar house "by kachadorian

"The solar house" by chiras

 

A bit off topic but maybe worth a read- 

"Design like you give a damn" by stohr

"Magic machines in a magic house : get off the grid" by saville

"Taking on water" by pabich

more sage advice from Mother Earth News

Jan 2013 issue
page 35

A guide to DIY Kit Homes

gives a link I want to follow up on sometime:
www.B4UBuild.com
which answers questions about home contruction.
and it says a new home will cost $80 to $200 per square foot.

Taking Shape on the outside

This house is being designed .. kind of... from the outside ... in!

I saw a house ... in our neighborhood here in Alaska that is a boring version of what I think we want.

So first I will upload the boring photo.

I like it because the house is on the right. Then the garage, then the car port are on the left.

Then I am going to post photos of the type of "ZING" it needs.

Then... if you refer back to the Unity College Terra House ...
They posted this:

So, We need to block the summer afternoon sun. That is that lower right hand corner of the diagram - so this is a great place for a jutting out spacious porch. The South West Corner of the house is the first bit of the house you see as you pull up. This is the focal point of the home's exterior. It is a form, with a specific function... yet is as awesome as all hell! (here after referred to as "the FOCAL POINT PORCH"

Then, Across the South side you have to have an overhang or awning to block out the summer sun. Check out this diagram...

So across the South side of the house (from the street view this would be down the right side of the house) will be an overhang. I am thinking that visually it would look good if it came off the "focal point porch. - just a skinnier version. Actual math with be required to figure out the best size. Basically I want the heat "off" from May to October. So that is 5 months. We need to calculate the angle of the sun at the half way mark of those 5 months (not summer solstice since its hotter in August than on June 20th.)

So then, along that south side -
where the overhang is functioning to block unwanted sun,
there is also an opportunity to do this outdoor porch patio (see very left side of photo):

It would be a giant thick concrete slab - much like the one UNDER the addition at June's house.
The function would be to reflect winter sun up onto the windows. It also helps the windows lose less heat by being a heat source outside the windows.

Then, visual effect, it would have a railing like the one on the "focal point porch."

The roof line from the "focal Point Porch" would also continue across in front of the garage, and then over to the car port. The whole house would GIVE A FEEL of a wrap around porch. I will see if I can grab a photo of that roof line continuation as an example.
There are some around here.
(after a drive, here is the photo. Just see how the roof line continues from the front porch, across the big garage, and smaller garage. Now picture it going across the front porch, across the garage, and over the car port.
MMM.... and I am thinking the car port will be the length of 2 cars. maybe 2.5. Plenty of storage for Kayaks, bikes, Lawn Mowers, wheel Barrow, all that STUFF.