Comments on: Zero Energy Design Binge

By: Edward Naines

Edward Naines — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:47:44 +0000

I have own one of these homes in the Milwaukee area since 2005. We love living in the 1983 house and have been restoring it since moving in. One problem we had when first moving in was that the envelope in the attic had collasped. We had it repaired and added a solar vent fan which did help the ventilation of the house. The design does work, my family and I have sat in the 80+ degree solarium on a below freezing Wisconsin day to soak up some rays. I have found ways of improving some of the issues. The biggest difference was painting the solarium all black, this is how we were able to reach 90 degrees in the winter.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:12:02 +0000

Hi, I have designed and built zero energy homes since the late 70s. I have developed a new building system that allows one to build a net-zero heated home at the same cost as a standard custom house. We have built many alternative design homes: underground, arch, geodesics, sod, living roof, CEB, PAHS, AGS, double wall, straw bale, cob, double shell, shipping container, rammed earth, concrete post and beam, recycled Styrofoam mixed with cement, passive design, etc. I have learned from every project and have continuously refined our craft and abilities. Our new system uses walls that are stressed skin filled with rammed earth and a stressed skin roof. It is designed to last over a hundred years. It optimizes material use, cost, labor efficiency, and sustainability in a self-heating and cooling shell. We use orientation, proper glass, earthen massing, custom air exchangers, earth tubes, convective air drive, led lighting, bioluminescence lighting, plasma lighting, super insulation, home automation and experience. We avoid using things that drive up the cost of a building without a commensurate value gain. Logs, large beams, lots of none recycled foam, and other things are expensive. We avoid such things unless the customer wants them because of their architectural tastes. We believe any luxury a customer wants is fine and that you should not have to limit your quality of life to be green. We have worked with clients that have built for $1 dollar a foot and have others that have spent a 1000 times that just because they felt like it. At the end of the day we strive to deliver the most value possible for the dollar in net-zero heating buildings.

Brian

By: John Umland

John Umland — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:29:54 +0000

Here is a different take, and there are so many.
http://www.aaepassivesolar.com/low-energy.html
It uses air tubes through a foot thick pad of concrete and 3 inches of rigid insulation in addition to the sun to keep their houses at a comfortable temperature and humidity year round. They push the air from the peak of the house down into the massive thermal mass in the basement which keeps the house about the same temperature year round.
God is good
jpu

By: Robert Nemoyer

Robert Nemoyer — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:09:56 +0000

I like the envelope design of Enertia homes, but feel the cost is too high. My builder neighbor rejects envelopes because of the cost of double framing. Thenaturalhome.com rejects envelope homes but actually could work well as a cheap envelope home by putting studs against the concrete blocks on the north wall and letting the space between the studs serve as the double wall. This works by building with surface bonded dry laid concrete block, putting insulation board on the outside of the house covered with stucco. The non load bearing studs could either be wood studs with thermoluminesent (sp) paint or metal studs. Putting foam insulation between the rafters would allow for the hot air to be stored and circulated. To let the hot air out in the summer a window at the east and west gables could be covered with polyisocyanurate insulation board in the winter and unsealed and opened in the summer. Use a plywood floor in the attic so you can walk to the windows. And possibly put a fan in each window. Use earthtubes to bring in precolled air in the summer (50 degrees) and preheated air in the winter (50 degrees). You can always couple this with an air exchanger. I like the hall less home design at the ZED site which is similar to the passive solar “Islander” designs of Deb Coleman (google passive solar home plans). Put on a metal roof, paint wood joists, etc, with fire retardent paint, and you have a very solidly built almost fireproof home.

By: Robert Nemoyer

Robert Nemoyer — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:43:52 +0000

I am impressed with the envelope designs of the enertia homes, but fell the cost would be too much for me. I asked a builder neighbor who was dismissive ofAlso, my builder neighbor was dismissive of envelope homes because of the cost of double framing. I became interested in high themal mass homes and found a good site at Thenaturalhome.com. Ranting seems to be common in the passive solar world but I like his idea of building a home out of dry laid concrete block with surface bonding, putting insulation board on the outside of the home and covering that with stucco. While he is death on envelope homes his home could cheaply incorporate that by putting up gypusum wall board on the north side and letting the space between the studs serve as ducts for recyling the air and using a basement. You would be using ballon framing to get the air circulating, but the actual framing is not supporting the roof and you could either paint wood studs with thermoluminesent (sp) paint or use metal studs. It would be expensive but foam insulation between the rafters would allow for the hot air to be stored and circulated. To let the hot air out in the summer one window at the east and west gable could be covered with polyisocyanurate insulation board in the winter and unsealed and opened in the summer. Use a plywood floor in the attic so you can walk to the windows. And possibly put a fan in each window. Since you are building a tight house use earthtubes to bring in precolled air in the summer (50 degrees) and preheated air in the winter (50 degrees). You can always couple this with an airexchanger. I hope to build this home the next time we move. I like the hall less home design at the ZED site which seems a slight improvement on the Islander homes designed by Deb Coleman (google passive solar home plans)

By: Derek

Derek — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 01:44:51 +0000

Energy efficient building is fairly simple. We achieved it with a conventional design. Get sunlight in during winter and stop the heat getting out with good insulation and weathersealing. Add some thermal mass to store the heat. During summer block the sun from getting hitting windows and walls and ventilate like crazy at night. It’s not rocket science.

By: Jill Karlin Butler

Jill Karlin Butler — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:39:59 +0000

In the 1970s, Lee Porter Butler was ignited to do research on these issues and discover a way that human beings could live comfortably on the earth, without doing any harm. His first ground-breaking work Ekose’a Homes describes his first contribution, “The Gravity geo-thermal envelope”. He continued his research and discoveries until leaving the habiliments of the flesh in 2005. His most recent contribution Ekotecture will free humans from the grid, and promote the earth’s healing through showing humans how to live peaceably together, without the need to kill or plunder for the resources which God gave us to tend. Training us to be good stewards and gardners.

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:18:43 +0000

FYI – The zero enegry design CD has virtually NOTHING that’s not on the web site. Very disappointing! It’s a (very poor) glorified sales pitch for their design services. Just a scam IMO.

By: Derek

Derek — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:32:38 +0000

This contains another opinion on double envelope houses from a passive solar designer.

http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/sustainable/misc.htm

By: chad

chad — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:36:38 +0000

JER – The Enertia is a great system. I’m sure it’s not cheap, but it is much more proven and clearly explained than what you will find in the ZED documentation.

I would highly recommend using ICF foundation with SIPs walls and roof. You will be 50% better than anything else out there if you start there alone…