The is a springtime view of my straw bale house that is featured in the “Building With Awareness: The Construction of a Hybrid Home” DVD and book. Click the image for a larger view.

While riding my recumbent bicycle home from the office the other day, I was caught by the reflections in my neighbor’s flooded field. They recently planted a citrus orchard and garden and were irrigating late in the day. I grabbed my camera to capture the soft glow of a typical New Mexico sunset.

When living in a straw bale home, Spring is the time to remove the insulation panels from the skylights (to prevent heat loss in winter) and to turn off the pilot light of the backup radiant-floor heating system (despite some nights that still dip into the 30’s, the home does not need backup heat at this time of year). The rainwater cistern is 80% full due to recent spring rains. This will supply enough non-potable water until the summer monsoon season begins in a few months. The photovoltaic electrical system generates more electricity in the Spring and Fall due to the fixed angle of the PV panels to the sun. It is also time to put the window screens back up as they are removed every Fall to maximize the amount of heat entering the windows from the low-angled winter sun.

The warm earthen tones of the home’s walls come from the mud plaster finish. The small workshop to the right is made of adobe bricks. These materials are very green as they come from the earth itself—with minimal processing.

If you would like to see how this green home was built, pick up a copy of the “Building With Awareness” DVD video and book combo. It is available at a bookstore near you and online. “Building With Awareness” is beautifully photographed and covers the complete design and construction process of building green with straw bale, adobe, and other natural materials. The purchase of our DVD video and book helps to support this blog and website on green building.

Article and photo by Ted Owens
You are welcome to use this photo on your website (for non-commercial use) as long as the photo is not altered in any way and that you link it back to http://www.buildingwithawareness.com

The Gossamer Wind Ceiling Fan is EnergyStar rated and incorporates an advanced blade design that greatly improves energy efficiency.

I always stress that the design of a green home must start with the passive-solar-design elements before even thinking about the mechanical systems. If you focus on the overall efficiency of the entire building, you can then reduce or eliminate the electrical/mechanical systems—such as heating and cooling.  My straw bale home is designed to stay comfortable on hot summer days without the need for a conventional air conditioner. This is accomplished by careful window placement to prevent solar gain in the summer, well-insulated straw bale walls, R-55 cellulose insulation in the ceilings, and the use of interior thermal mass walls.  When the overall building is designed properly, you may find that you only need to reduce the interior air temperature by a few degrees—instead of twenty or more degrees. A ceiling fan may then be all that is needed to make a room feel comfortable. In the case of my straw bale house, a conventional air conditioning system would not only be unnecessary, it would also greatly increase the cost of the off-the-grid photovoltaic system that supplies all of the electricity for the home.

The Concept of the Ceiling Fan
Ceiling fans have made a comeback due to their energy efficiency. They were invented in the 1860’s to 1870’s and were the standard method of making buildings more comfortable for decades.  By the mid 1950’s, electric air conditioners began to appear in homes and the sales of ceiling fans waned. An electric motor spinning a propeller-type fan blade uses a lot less electricity than an air conditioning system that has both blowers and compressors. Dropping the apparent temperature of your skin is much easier than cooling an entire room. Ceiling fans work by evaporating moisture off your skin with moving air, just as a summer breeze can make a hot day seem quite comfortable.  

Increasing The Efficiency of Ceiling Fans
The Gossamer WInd ceiling fan is in a class by itself. The blades were designed by Aerovironment, the same company responsible for the design of the the fist successful human-powered aircraft and various electric-powered aircraft—both manned and unmanned. Most ceiling fan blades are are made from a flat, thin piece of wood that is mounted at an angle to the rotation. This pushes air downward as the blade rotates. Blades such as this are easy to manufacture but not particularly efficient at moving the air. To solve this problem, the ceiling fan blade designed by Aerovironment—and incorporated into the Gossamer Wind ceiling fans—is inspired by aircraft propellor blades. The blade incorporates a twist with a steeper angle at the base as compared to the tip (see the above photo). The base of a fan  blade spins at a slower velocity than the tip, so by increasing the angle at the root, a larger volume of air is moved at any given point on the blade. Less electricity is used as the blade can rotate at a slower speed while still moving the same amount of air of typical ceiling fans at higher speeds.  Airflow performance is  increased by up to 100%. 

 
The Gossamer Wind ceiling fan has three-speeds, is EnergyStar certified, and includes a dimmable fluorescent bulb. The fluorescent bulb uses less electricity and generates less heat than the typical incandescent bulbs found in most ceiling fans. The unit also includes a remote control with a temperature gauge that can turn the fan on at a pre-determined room temperature. I find that this fan moves as much air at medium speed that a conventional ceiling fan moves at high speed. I usually run the fan at the slowest speed. This is usually sufficient to make hot summer days feel quite pleasant. Having become used to seeing an intelligently designed fan blade, conventional blades now look clunky in comparison. In addition to aiding in cooling in the summer, the direction of ceiling fans can be reversed in the winter in order to blow down the warm air that has accumulated at the top of the ceiling. 

I have been using the Gossamer Wind ceiling fan for many years in my green home. I am very pleased with its performance. Multiple designs are now available, including a sleek industrial model with sixty-inch blades. The blades are also available in white. These fans can be purchased at Home Depot. More information is available from  gossamerwind.com

Article and photos by Ted Owens
Director and author of the “Building With Awareness” DVD video and guidebook

Following are some pros and cons of building a straw bale house. Like any building material, it is always best to evaluate your needs and your goals before committing to a particular material. Green building offers a wide range of options in achieving energy efficiency. When appropriate for your project, straw bale construction has many benefits.

Advantages of straw bale construction
1. Straw bales are made from a waste product. Once the edible part of the grain has been harvested (such as wheat or rice), the stalks often become a disposal problem for farmers. By bailing the straw, a new life is given to the material. The farmer makes some money by selling the bales and the homebuilder gains an excellent insulation and building material.

2. Homes insulated with straw bale can have insulation values of R-30 to R-35 or more. The thicker the bale, the better the R-value.

3. Straw bale walls are at least eighteen inches thick. This adds aesthetic value to the home as thick wall are expensive to achieve with conventional construction. The thickness of the wall helps to reflect sunlight throughout the room.

4. Due to the thickness of straw bale walls, every window can have a window seat or shelf. This becomes both an aesthetic and practical design element.

5. The concept of straw bale construction is easily understood by even novice builders. With supervision by one knowledgeable straw bale trainer, first-time builders can assist in the construction process. This not only spreads the word about straw bale construction, it also means that the homebuilder can save money by using a volunteer crew to help raise the walls.

6. Straw bales have a low-embodied energy. This means that very little energy was used to manufacture the product as sunlight was the main energy source for growing plant. The only energy needed to make a straw bale is in the bailing process and the transportation to the worksite. Other insulation materials, such as fiberglass, require a substantial amount of energy to produce.

7. Straw bales are 100% biodegradable—when the time comes. Straw Bale homes can last over 100 years if properly maintained. At some point, all structures will eventually be replaced. When the time comes, the straw bales can be plowed back into the earth. Fiberglass, on the other hand, becomes a disposal problem.

8. Straw bale walls can be carved with a knife or chainsaw. Openings around windows or doors can be bullnosed to a nice radius. Bales can also be finished to a sharp angular edge. Nichos can also be carved into the bales.

9. Despite what might seem logical, properly constructed walls made from straw bales have proven to be more flame retardant than conventional wood-frame construction. This is because the bales are dense and tend to just smolder when the ignition source is removed.

10. Straw bale insulation is the most effective in climates where heating and/or cooling of the home is essential for comfort.

11. Straw bale homes can be beautiful as the natural material lends itself to multiple architectural styles.

Disadvantages of Straw Bale Construction 
1. SInce it is not a conventional building material, the contractor or do-it-yourselfer will need to learn new construction techniques. Although not difficult, they are different.

2. If straw bale building codes are not part of your local codes, it may be a bit more work to get your plans approved. Contact others in your area and see if they can suggest local architects or engineers that are used to working with natural materials and see they can stamp your plans and help with the approval process.

3. Straw bale walls need to be kept dry as moisture is detrimental to not only straw, but to many building materials. Moisture entering the bales from the roof above is to be avoided at all cost. If the walls of your straw bale home are kept dry, they will last for the life of the building.

4. Areas of extreme humidity and rain my not be appropriate for straw bale construction.

5. Due to the thickness of the walls (usually around 18-20 inches), more of your overall square footage will be unusable due to it being within the wall space.

6. If straw bales are not available within a few hundred miles of your construction site, the cost of shipping them, along with the potential pollution from the transportation, must be taken into account.

If you would like to learn more about straw bale home construction, take a look at the DVD video and book  called “Building With Awareness: The Construction of a Hybrid Home.” It is available online and in book stores.

Article and photo by Ted Owens

The greening of this downtown loft apartment will be a topic in this new series on how to adapt older buildings to higher ecological standards.

In my DVD video and book, “Building With Awareness,” I show the design and construction process of building a green home from scratch. With an emphasis on green building materials and the benefit of having complete control over the constructions process, you can see each stage of creating an energy efficient home from the ground up. By using a variety of natural materials such as straw bale, adobe, and earth plasters, it is possible to build an extremely green home with off-the-shelf components. For those who have the opportunity to start with a clean slate and an empty piece of land, this is an efficient way to go.

But what if you need to buy or rent a home that is already built? What if you desire to live in a city and the ability to use less-conventional materials is limited? After all, retrofitting existing buildings and homes will be an even larger industry than building new green structures. Millions of homes already exist and the majority of them need to be brought up to better energy efficiency standards.  How do you improve energy efficiency, lower your power bills, and limit your carbon footprint?

This new column on the “Building With Awareness” blog is called “Urban Green Living.” It will cover many aspects of going green when living and working in an urban environment. We will look at everything from retrofitting a 1920’s home with photovoltaic panels to a green makeover of a downtown loft in the heart of Los Angeles. We will show how to resolve problems that you inherit from an existing structure to how to choose environmentally sound materials, paints, lighting fixtures, and even furniture. We will figure out how to improve the efficiency of a condominium or apartment when the ability to add or move windows, doors, and heating and cooling systems is not possible. It is all about being creative. And just like the theme of the “Building With Awareness” video and book, it is about educating yourself in regards to the options that are available and then deciding what direction is best for you.

The downtown Los Angeles loft project will be an ongoing series in the coming months. The loft is situated in what is called the Historic Core of California’s largest city. Before World War II, this was the financial and entertainment core of Los Angeles. Many of the buildings date back to 1911 and before. This was before the days of air conditioning and society’s total reliance on fossil fuels. The architecture was grand and built to last. Major movies premiered in the ornate movie theaters, trolly cars provided public transportation, and the area thrived. After World War II, the financial institutions began to move several blocks to the west, the movie palaces lost their luster, and the area started a gradual decline into hard times. Life flows in cycles and now the community is coming back to life. In the articles to come, you will learn about this process of renewal and why this presents a great opportunity for urban green living.

Article and Photo by Ted Owens

  

This retired 747 aircraft was turned into a green building by refurbishing it has a hostel. It is now permanently parked at the airport to house weary travelers. Even the cockpit was converted into a double-bed suite.

I love the novel ways that items destined for the scrap heap become something new and different. This recently completed Jumbo Hostel (located in Stolkholm Arlanda, Sweden) is one of the most novel examples of green building that I have come across. I consider this green building because the major structure of the hostel was once a 747 Jumbo Jet. It is made of durable materials, had reached the end of its intended life, and now as been recycled to house travelers at the airport. A good green building should also be of a visual design that is appropriate for its location. Given that this hostel is located right at the airport, the aerodynamic shape is perfect for the setting. 

There are 25 rooms in all with a total of 85 beds. Even the cockpit was turned into a double-bed suite. The renovation of the aircraft had to meet the same building codes of any structure. The left wing can be walked on and is an observation deck for observing other aircraft at the airport.

For more information: http://www.jumbohostel.com/
via: http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trw-offbeatraveler1-pg,0,4149657.photogallery?index=1

PV solar panels mounted to a pitched metal roof of a straw bale house. The “real world” output of a PV module can be much lower than what is stated by the manufacturer.

Photovoltaic panels generate clean power by converting sunlight into electricity. This article will talk about the actual—verses the rated—power output of photovoltaic panels. Do not assume that a PV panel rated at 170 watts of power will actually give you that amount. It will probably be closer to 150 watts per panel. Because of the difference, care must be used when sizing the system for your electrical needs. Otherwise, you may find that you are generating less power than you need.

Designing a photovoltaic system for your green home starts with using energy efficient appliances and lighting inside the house. My rule of thumb is that it is cheaper to buy a new EnergyStar-rated refrigerator for under $1,000 than to spend an extra $2,000 on photovoltaic (PV) panels to power an old, inefficient refrigerator. The same goes for other appliances—particularly those that get a lot of daily use such as televisions.

The photovoltaic system for my small straw bale home (featured on the BuildingWithAwareness.com website and DVD video) cost around $12,000 in equipment. Without carefully choosing the most efficient appliances and  lighting, the cost would have been dramatically higher. 

After you have had made everything inside the home as energy efficient as possible,  you can start to size the photovoltaic system for your needs (this will be covered in a future post). Photovoltaic panels are rated by their theoretical power output in watts. Theoretically, a square meter of sunlight generates 1,000 watts of energy. Due to the inefficiency of current PV solar panel technology, the typical PV module output will be about 18% of that. To make things more confusing, the manufacturers rated output of a module will not be what you actually get.

So how do you find the true output of various commercially-available PV panels? Fortunately, the state of California has posted a chart that paints a truer picture. Manufacturers use the STC (Standard Test Conditions) rating system, which tends to exaggerate the power output towards the high end. What is desired is the knowing the wattage using the PTC (PVUSA Test Conditions) rating system. Although not perfect, it gives the potential PV customer a much more realistic estimate of power output per photovoltaic module. Here is the link to the Go Solar California web page (a joint effort between the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission). This chart lists PV modules by manufacturer, model number, and type of panel. This chart does not take into account losses from local atmospheric conditions, panel temperature (hot panels generate less electricity than cold panels), angle to the sun, etc. These loses will vary from installation to installation. It will help you get a more realistic idea of the cost-per-watt of generating your own electricity from sunlight.

http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/equipment/pvmodule.php

article and photo by Ted Owens
director of the “Building With Awareness” DVD video and book on green building

This Japanese structure is very simple, yet very elegent in its simplicity. Even without the details of windows and doors, there is a warmth to the building. The earth plaster walls have aged to a watercolor-like patina. The patterns come from mud that was mixed with rapeseed oil (a vegetable oil more commonly known as canola oil).  Materials such as this are in beautiful contrast to the monolithic look of stucco or paint in that they create harmonious variations in color and texture.

The design principles used in this structure can be incorporated into home design. They are not hard rules, but something that can be drawn upon to add visual interest. By being able to evaluate what works and what does not work in a particular design, it will be easier to make the changes that are required to fix the problem. The owner/builder should be very involved in the structure’s design, instead of just turning it over to a “professional”. This goes for both green building design principles (for overall energy efficiency) and the aesthetic design. Being aware in all of the various design options is what I call ‘building with awareness” (hence the title of my book and DVD).

For simplicity, I will break the visual design of of a building into two parts. First, there is the overall physical form which is the shape of the building. The second part would be the color, texture, and surface treatments within the major shapes. An analogy would be the overall shape of a tree that is enhanced with the color and texture of the bark and leaves.

The mass production of various building materials such as cement stucco, inexpensive aluminum-framed windows, and cement block, has made it too easy to let the materials dictate bland design (see Part 1 of this series). Since these materials tend to have little variation in color and texture, the design of the overall form becomes even more important. By using natural materials, the desire for color and texture will take care of itself. For example, straw bale construction and adobe construction will inheriently add a visual softness to the form. It is about using materials that are appropriate for the task. They should add to both the visual and structual integrity of the design and the materials should be appropriate to the objects’ ultimate use. Whereas I like to see natural materials in their basic state in a home, flying in a jetliner made of bamboo and mud would not boost my confidence in the engineering of the aircraft! That is where I would prefer to see titanium, aluminum, and carbon fibre materials.

In this article, we will stay with the topic of the overall form. It is the transitions from element to element that are the key ingredients. It is the detailing of the transition from the ground to the wall, from the wall to the roof, and from the roof to the sky, that adds visual interest. This is how it was done in the building.

Photo: Dorothy

In the drawing below, I have traced the contours of the building. Even with the color and texture deemphasized, the shapes and forms feel balanced and related. The horizontal ground does not just hit the wall and become a vertical plane. It starts with a foundation of stone that borrows the same forms from the immediate rock garden and the overall environment. The visible foundation becomes a transitional form, linking the earth to the man-made wall,—all built from materials of the earth. This is not only visually pleasing but it also protects the earth plaster wall from rain splashing and moisture being absorbed from the ground. Also note the thin line of cement below the stone. This too acts as a functional and visual transition that adds visual appeal. It is a layering of materials showing a natural progression of the building process. The materials are stacked on one another in a way that is physcially sound and logical. 

Now look at the transition from the wall to the roof. The visible ends of the roof rafters visually tie the roof to the wall, like vertical stitching. One form is interwoven with the next, thus bringing the two together. The dashed line indicates the roof overhang where there is a color change in the shingles.

The plane of the roof transitions back to a larger flat plane. The roof is capped with horizontal bands that elude to distant mountains. It is not just the wide plane of the roof abuting the wide plane of the sky. There is a transitional element, long and horizontal, that signifies that one form is merging into the next. This ridge cap also mimics the height and feel of the foundation itself, thus further tying the building design together. Also note that the width of the horizontal ribbons of the roof ridge are wider at the top and bottom, just where they transition to the much wider planes of the roof and sky.  

These patterns of detail, that contrast with the broader and simpler planes, give the eye areas to focus on. I see an anology to motion picture sound tracks. Sometimes a film will contain wall-to-wall music and your ear becomes numb with the monotony. Films need quiet passages in order to fully appreciate the orchestrated sections. Your eye also needs time to rest so that the details become more evident. It is all about contrast. Without it, one feature does not stand apart from another.

This apparently simple structure incorporates much thought as to how one form relates to the next. It is the attention to detail that makes the structure pleasing to look at. In my opinion, when buildings look like they were designed and built with care, they will last longer since others will want to preserve them. This is why visual design is so important in green building. I will talk more about form in the next “Looking At Design” article.

Article by Ted Owens

Photovoltaic (PV) panels produce all of the electricity for this straw bale hybrid home from sunlight. All of the PV panels are permanently attached to the south facing pitched roof.  Standing-seam metal roofs are partially flat, so mounting a rack is not a problem.  The roof on my house is corrugated metal and therefore has no flat surfaces for the aluminum mounting brackets to seat.  A stout connection is essential for the photovoltaic panels to survive high wind loads and to create a waterproof seal where the bolts penetrate the roof surface. What we needed was a mounting platform that both comformed to the convolutions of the metal roof and also had a flat surface for the foot bracket to contact.

Here is how we solved the problem.

Plastic wood (such as Trex® that is sold for outdoor decking) was cut on a bandsaw to match the profile of the metal roof sheeting. The material was chosen for its proven durability and long life in outdoor use. This spacer made for a flat surface for the foot of the aluminum mounting bracket. As the bolts are tightened, the contoured custom spacer applies even pressure to the corrugated sheeting, so there is no denting or distortion. Due to the four-inch width of the new mounting platform (it was cut from a 2×4″ piece of artificial wood), there was now room to move the bolt location left or right in order to center it directly over the roof truss below the sheeting.

Note that a groove was cut into the base of the contoured mounting spacer. This prevents water from pooling on the uphill side. Ample amounts of silicone caulk were used on the bolt itself and around the bolt to ensure that water would not leak through the roof.

In this wide view, the vertical rails of the UniRack SolarMount® system can be seen resting on the custom plastic-wood mounts. The photovoltaic panels are then attached to the rails. The long 2×3″ strips of wood are used as a temporary foot rest so that one does not slide down the slick surface. They are slid out once the PV panels are in place and wired. For safety, it is essential to wear a rock climber’s safety harness while working on a steep roof such as this. Below is a drawing of a cross-section view of the mounting system.

With the panels in place, this house will have all of its electrical needs generated by sunlight alone. Between the photovoltaic electrical system, the insulated straw bale walls, and the rainwater collected from the roof, this is a very green hybrid home.

Article and photos by Ted Owens
Drawing by Al Owens
This construction of this home is featured in Building With Awareness

Ideally, a water pump for a rainwater cistern will use very little electricity, be durable and rugged, and be as maintenance free as possible. The model being reviewed was in daily use for 8 years in a small straw bale house.  Water from the cistern delivers naturally soft water to the washing machine, the toilet, and a hose bib. A 24 volt model was chosen so that it could run directly off a 24 volt photovoltaic (PV) electrical system for this off-the-grid green home. Although the PV system included a 120 volt AC inverter, it was desired to have the pump run off the DC side as this would  guarantee that the pump would have power even if the inverter was not operational. The DC pump would also be more energy efficient as some efficiency is lost by the inverter. This same pump model is also available in 24 volt and 120 volt configurations.

The advantage of a rubber diaphragm pump is that they are very immune to damage from grit and debris in the water. This is important as water is collected off the roof with only a simple sand filter.  In addition, if the cistern should run dry, this type of pump would not be damaged. This ShurFlo pump model is inexpensive (the street price is around $100.00) and it uses little energy (2.4—2.7 amps). It is perfect for running a single fixture at a time. Multiple fixtures will work, although at a much lower flow rate. It is self priming up to 12 feet (less 1 foot per every 1,000 feet of altitude). This means that it will draw water 12 feet below the pump level. Make sure that you do not exceed the maximum distance when the cistern is low on water.

Installation
The pump was installed below ground at a height of half the depth of the tank. In other words, the pump is about level with the water level in the cistern when it is half full. This permitted sufficient water flow at the 5,000 foot altitude of the home’s location. The pump is mounted below a small pressure tank (as seen above) so that the pump does not always turn on when water is needed. The pressure tank acts a buffer and stores water under pressure. The installation details can be seen in the Building With Awareness guidebook.

Maintenance and Performance
This model as worked extremely well for many years. Most problems were not the fault of the pump itself and were almost always due to a small air leak on the suction side of the water line that runs to the rainwater cistern. Suction pumps are very intolerant of the smallest leak as this permits air to enter into the line and thus prevents the pump from drawing water. Always check water line connections when the pump fails to draw properly.  Air leaks can usually be traced to a loose hose clamp at a splice or fitting.

During the first eight years of operation (the cistern was also used during the construciton of the house), the rubber diaphragm was replaced once, in addition to the built-in pressure switch. The pressure switch corroded due to moisture, which prevented the pump from turning off when the proper water pressure was reached. The rubber diaphragm started to leak due to age. Both parts are readily available online and were fairly easy to replace after extracting the pump from the plumbing. Most of the repair time was taken by hooking everything up again. The total cost of the replacment parts was approximately $45.00. Some maintenance is to be expected in anything that has moving parts. After eight years of use, the electric motor for the cistern pump no longer had sufficient power to operate properly. The entire pump was then replaced with a new unit of the same model. The new pump has worked flawlessly for the past year.

Other Notes
Years ago I read a report that this type of pump was noisy. The tested model was mounted twenty feet outside the house and two feet below ground. When it is running, there is low hum from the diaphragm vibration that is transmitted through the pipes and to the water fixture.  I am very aware of noise pollution and I would not consider this hum a problem. It actually has a positive benefit.  On one ocassion the toilet fill valve failed to turn off and it was the hum of the pump that let me know that something was wrong as the pump did not turn off after a couple of minutes. If the pump is to be installed within the home, the room should be insulated for sound.

Conclusion
This ShurFlo pump model worked very well, was cost effective, and would be highly recommended for any green home with a rainwater cistern. It is likely that other voltages in the 1088 model range would have similiar results due to shared components.

article and photos by Ted Owens

The balance between what we make, and what nature makes, is a play of contrasts. Hitting a balance is the goal. The dramatic mountain setting is set apart from the terrace with a segmented stone wall. The formality of the garden is in total contrast to the surroundings. Taking the vegetation to a level of whimsey makes it all work. Having fun is part of the process.

photo: Pierre Metivier