Green Building
Thinking About Our
Footprint on the Earth
What’s In A Home?
There are more than 76 million homes in the U.S. today
These homes…
- account for over 2/3 of electricity used in the U.S.
- are a major source of the pollution that leads to poor air quality
and climate change
- are accountable for 35% of carbon dioxide emissions, the chief
pollutant blamed for climate change
- create 3-7 tons of waste each in construction
By 2010, another 38 million buildings will be constructed
Green building practices offer an opportunity to
create environmentally sound, resource efficient
buildings
Small changes in the way we think about building
will make all the difference
ex. If 10% of homes in the U.S. used solar water
heating systems we would avoid 8.4 million metric
tons of carbon emissions every year
We begin by looking at the relationships between a
building and its components, surroundings, and
occupants
Seeds of Solidarity Farm and Education Center
We will walk through
this home as one
example of the
changes we can
make in the way we
think about and
build our homes
Before building we
think about our
needs, the land,
and the available
materials
All building has a
major effect on the
land – this thought
process allows us
to build with
minimal impact
Basic Shape of House
The house is
rectangular because
this is energy and cost
effective
While not that exciting,
it allows for a lot of
artistic work to be done
inside
Foundation
Foundations are usually dug
4ft into the ground causing a
lot of disruption
This frost protected slab
involves minimal digging,
then layering gravel, foam,
and 8 inches of concrete
The result is a stained
concrete floor which absorbs
sun and heat from the stove
in the winter, and cools in
the summer
Insulation
Double walls are built
and then filled with
blown-in cellulose
This extremely tight and
efficient insulation is
made of recycled paper
and is locally produced
Heat
The house is heated through
the use of a wood stove
In New England, correctly
harvested wood is
renewable
Heat is saved because the
chimney is built inside the
house and in a central
location
The house is so well
insulated that it takes only
1.5 cords of wood to heat it
for an entire winter
Passive Solar Heat
The roofing overhang is
designed at an angle
which protects the
house from the high
summer sun and allows
the low winter sun to
come in through the
windows and heat the
concrete floor
Solar Power
The home is powered
entirely by an 8 solar
panel system
Each panel contains
silicon chips which work
to produce 120 watts of
energy
Solar Power…
Energy is stored in a battery
bank as direct current
An inverter changes direct
current to alternate current
which can then be directed
through regular electrical
outlets
This system is not connected
to the main grid, systems
that are connected can send
extra energy back to the grid
Energy Efficiency
Household appliances are
energy efficient and only
used when necessary
Compact fluorescent light
bulbs are used in place of
inefficient incandescent light
bulbs to save electricity
An on-demand hot water
heater heats water only
when needed
- this will soon be replaced
with a solar hot water system
Local Economy
Local craftspeople are
used when necessary
to promote a local
economy
Wooden beams are
local cedar
Vegetable Production
A greenhouse is built onto
the house
In the winter, excess heat
from the house can be let
into the greenhouse
Excess heat is never
wasted; it can be used to
produce food
Organic Growing
The land around the
house is farmed
lovingly and
sustainably
This attention
benefits both the
land and those who
work it
Biodiesel
The family cars are run
using biodiesel
This is a combination of
fresh or recycled
vegetable oil and
ethanol/methanol that
can be used for a
number of things,
including running a car
and heating a home
Biodiesel …
Biodiesel lowers
pollutants and is
made in the U.S.
It is available locally
through Burke oil
These are the choices one
family has made about how
to shape their footprint on
the earth
Green building offers us
many choices about how to
make our homes more
sustainable - from switching
the light bulbs in our lamps,
to building with straw
These are a few more
options…
Strawbale Construction
Strawbale
construction uses
baled straw to
create walls which
are then covered
with a mud plaster
or cement stucco
This is a highly
effective use for the
waste material left in
fields after plants
have been
harvested for seed
Strawbale Construction…
Straw is a low cost
material which
creates highly
insulated walls
There are many
different styles of
strawbale
construction which
allow for individual
artist work
Adobe Construction
Adobe is made of
dried mud (20%
clay, 80% sand)
which can be made
into bricks or hand
layered to build up
walls
It has been used in
construction for
thousands of years
Adobe Construction…
The mass of adobe
walls will absorb heat
and radiate it back out
into the house at night,
working well with solar
energy
Materials are cheap,
local, and easy to build
with – but can involve a
lot of detail work
How Will Your Home Affect This Earth?
Information is at your
fingertips, go and look
for yourself…
www.sustainable.doe.gov
www.strawbalehouse.com
www.epsea.org