Urban alternative homestead
The three main areas of work were in redesigning and correcting the design flaws of the active heating system, the passive solar heating system, and the furnace controls, so that the building would heat and cool itself more efficiently and evenly than it had before. The active system was re-plumbed, fixing leaks, and adding joints and parts needed to work properly. Its tanks were insulated and new pumps installed. The passive system was reworked by adding a shadescreen to the outside of the greenhouse for summer cooling, and by adding ductwork to remove excess heat from the greenhouse and office, and redistribute it to the rest of the building, or to the outside. To help heat the north rooms, this recycled heat was very helpful. Also, insulating the floor under the north rooms was very helpful in providing more even heating. In order for the heating system to operate more efficiently, the electronic controls had to be reworked so the proper messages could be sent to the furnace about when to use each kind of heat. The lowered gas usage of the house told the story about how much better the active and passive systems were when the grant was completed. Moreover, the house was much more comfortable, not only from the overheating in the summer, but from a more even distribution of the heat to the north rooms. The fact that the electrical usage increased reflected the fact that the new pumps took more electricity to run them, and that the active system did not have all of the flaws worked out.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Alternatives, Inc., Louisville, KY (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG44-80R410312
- OSTI ID:
- 5632373
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/R4/10312-T1; ON: DE84000774
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
HOUSES
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
MODIFICATIONS
ATTACHED GREENHOUSES
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DUCTS
FURNACES
HEAT PUMPS
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
BUILDINGS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
GREENHOUSES
HEATING SYSTEMS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
140901* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Space Heating & Cooling