Thread: ECO HOUSE

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

It costs more to build.

Sure but there is a simple calculation called ROI, Return on Capital invested.
Cost of investment / saving per year gives you the return.
Thick fvcking northern monkeys

Add up the cost of solar panels & all that other shit Eco was on about - it's a lot.

Then save a few thousand Baht a year on electric.

Do the maths yourself - I think you'll find you're six-feet under before you've 'saved' anything.

Senile old fool

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

Add up the cost of solar panels & all that other shit Eco was on about - it's a lot.

Tell us then how much it is..

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

Then save a few thousand Baht a year on electric.

Ahh, here you seem to know the amount..

Originally Posted by lom

Tell us then how much it is

You tell us how much it is.

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

you seem to know the amount

How much can you realistically expect to save in a year?

A couple of hundred quid at best.

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

Originally Posted by lom

Tell us then how much it is

You tell us how much it is.

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

you seem to know the amount

How much can you realistically expect to save in a year?

A couple of hundred quid at best.

Can you see into the future? If so pls let me know the price of oil in 10 yrs.

Who know what things will cost in a decade, some scientists say we've already peaked oil production and it'll just keep skyrocketing.

If this is the case many of us won't be able to afford solar panels OR air con. I'm trying to reduce my consumption of everything, before I even think about fancy wind turbines or solar panels.

I can't see us going on like this forever. I also don't see a smooth transition with us all smiling away in hybrid cars. But maybe I'm just crazy?

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

How much can you realistically expect to save in a year?

If I ever get round to building my house, I intend to have 100% self sufficiency from service bills.

Solar hot water.
Own well for drinking water.
Grey water used for garden & toilets.
Bioelectricity production for electricity & gas.
Ground source cooling.
Clever design to minimize heat build-up.

All of these things are possible to do and will not greatly add to the building costs.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

How much can you realistically expect to save in a year?

If I ever get round to building my house, I intend to have 100% self sufficiency from service bills.

Solar hot water.
Own well for drinking water.
Grey water used for garden & toilets.
Bioelectricity production for electricity & gas.
Ground source cooling.
Clever design to minimize heat build-up.

All of these things are possible to do and will not greatly add to the building costs.

These are the types of thing I'm thinking of, some additions:
Rainwater storage with fall so there's no need for pumps
Solar ovens (incredibly simple and cheap)
aquaponics for fish and vegetables
worms for composting, fertilizer and fish food.

If you took things really far you could grow bamboo to build with (there are new preservation techniques) and make mud bricks from soil left over from digging your pond.

With all this you'd hardly need cash, so little need to work. Only problem is what to do about a visa.

Originally Posted by Smithson

Rainwater storage with fall so there's no need for pumps

Rainwater will be stored underground in may place, but I know what you're saying.

aquaponics for fish and vegetables[

That is something that has a great future - using the recycled water from your fish tanks (fresh water spp) to extract nutrient and water to grow your vegies. You can have your fish and vegies and eat them too.

Edited.

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

You tell us how much it is.

You told us it is a lot.
So now you tell us how much that is.
And, at the same time, show us how you have calculated that the gain is only a
couple of hundred quids per year..

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

How much can you realistically expect to save in a year?

If I ever get round to building my house, I intend to have 100% self sufficiency from service bills.

Solar hot water.
Own well for drinking water.
Grey water used for garden & toilets.
Bioelectricity production for electricity & gas.
Ground source cooling.
Clever design to minimize heat build-up.

All of these things are possible to do and will not greatly add to the building costs.

Again for those that sit on there asses all day drinking Chang or what ever
Go elsewhere to bitch off.
All I am trying to do is compile information which in someway may or may not help those of us who are serious about our ecological footprint and have the sense to at least try and change our own thinking

This I copied and pasted
MIT Demonstrates "Wireless Electricity"
The ability to direct and transmit electrical power through the air, without wires, took a further step from the theoretical to the practical in June when a group of MIT researchers demonstrated their "WiTricity" concept.

The technology works by transmitting electricity as a magnetic field oscillating at a specific frequency. Through "magnetically coupled resonance," the "receiver" can capture the electricity, making for an efficient and safe method of over-the-air transfer.

Wireless transmission of electricity has been understood in theory since the work of Nikolai Tesla in the 19th Century. Safe, efficient and cost-effective wireless electricity could hold countless benefits, from eliminating the need to install costly copper wiring to lowered reliance on batteries for small devices. However, despite the success of WiTricity, the technology has a long way to go before it is deployed commercially... not to mention the need to better understand side effects such as interference and possible effects on health and the environment.

Source: Self Service World
posted by Brian on 7/18/2007
In the Urca neighborhood near the base of Rio de Janeiros Sugarloaf Mountain, architect Alexandra Lichtenberg tackled a remodeling project that demonstrates that being green isn't the exclusive domain of high-cost, luxury residences and backwoods off-grid dwellings. A good green remodel is within reach of the average well-intentioned homeowner in the average urban neighborhood anywhere in the world, and the EcoHouse proves it.
The EcoHouse Project undertook to provide not only a more eco-friendly environment for its inhabitants, but also a tool for evaluating comfort levels within ecologically-enhanced and highly efficient thermal, water and lighting systems. The architect's goal was to create comparable or better amenities in the home while improving the ecological impact. In the hot, humid climate of Rio, the house served as a case example for similar climates worldwide.
Below is an overview of the various aspects of the remodel. Any one of these is available to homeowners at minimal cost, and most are just as easily implemented in an existing building as in a new home.
Rainwater catchment
Rainwater catchment is one of the most sensible things we can do to increase our home water efficiency as well as to reduce water pollution and store runoff in our neighborhoods. Most rainfall runs over impermeable urban surfaces straight into storm drains without ever being used, which given the ease and benefits of collecting it is an unnecessary waste.
In the EcoHouse, a concrete cistern collects rain from the roof and patio, which flows through a gravity-driven mechanical filter. It is then pumped to the recycled water tank located on the highest green roof, and distributed by gravity to toilets, garden irrigation system, and faucets used for non-potable water. In the first year, the system accounted for 28% of the total water use of the house.
Sewage recycling
Even the most hardcore environmentalists sometimes shy away from dealing with gray water and sewage. However, there are a number of well-designed compact sewage treatment systems that make residential water reuse easy and clean. A Brazilian company called Mizumo provided a test system for the EcoHouse Urca Project. Intended for small urban lots, it measures 1.20m x 2.60m x 2.10m. The system is meant to provide water for the same non-potable uses as the rainwater system. Before being pumped to the water tank on the green roof, the water undergoes sand and UV light filtration to eliminate any remaining impurities.
Passive cooling
The best means of achieving passive heating and cooling is through well-planned orientation of a house on its site. With existing buildings, though, there are other ways to make use of passive technologies, such as strategic placement of shade trees, extension of eaves and overhanging roofing, and window glazing. Keeping the walls, windows and roof of the house cool by deflecting or avoiding direct sunlight, the inside stays cooler, as well, without A/C or other high-energy systems.
Green roofs and facades
Green roofs enhance passive cooling capacities, absorb rainwater, and offer another usable outdoor space for residents perfect spot for cultivating a garden. The EcoHouse's old ceramic tile roof was replaced by green roofs, using mostly grass and cooking herbs. All northwest-facing façades were fitted with an aluminum trellis to protect the outside walls from sun exposure. A vigorous vine will climb the trellis and create a shield to absorb most of the direct radiation that would hit the walls.
Natural ventilation
Natural ventilation is another component that is often best installed during the initial building process of the home, when operable skylights and windows can be designed into the building. For the EcoHouse remodel, the architect did a reconfiguration of the internal layout to allow for natural ventilation. Air circulation is vitally important, not only to reduce heating and cooling costs, but for the health of the inhabitants. Keeping a good inflow of fresh air enhances the interior atmosphere so that it never feels stuffy or stagnant.
Renewable energy
Two solar systems heat all the hot water in the house, both working in a passive thermo siphon system, which takes advantage of gravity and eliminates the need to pump liquids around the house. Normally, solar panels mounted on the roof heat water in a tank several floors below, which mean that the liquid needs to be pumped to the roof for heating. In a thermo siphon system, the tank is on the roof, placed above the solar collector.
As the temperature of the heat-transfer fluid increases, its density decreases. The fluid rises, causing natural convection, which permits passive circulation in the pipes. In the EcoHouse, one of the two solar systems has an electrical backup source. The other functions completely on solar.
Many thanks to Alexandra Lichtenberg, who provided info and images for this piece. The EcoHouse is a bright example of what's possible for any one of us, in any location or climate. With some simple changes to a handful of home systems, we can easily reduce our costs, increase our comfort, and enhance our quality of life.

Do I have to have 10 posts before I can post links, that’s a bitch

Originally Posted by ECO WARRIOR

Do I have to have 10 posts before I can post links, that’s a bitch

yep. dunno how you're ever going to get to 1o posts....

took me foreveeeeeeeeeeeer.

Originally Posted by ECO WARRIOR

Again for those that sit on there asses all day drinking Chang or what ever
Go elsewhere to bitch off.

A bit of diplomacy wouldn't hurt, there's plenty of ppl providing useful info. You'd be better using convincing opinions than abusing posters.

Originally Posted by ECO WARRIOR

This I copied and pasted

Pls don't copy and paste. Your info is from a part of the world that has led the way in eco destruction. The first thing you do is reduce consumption and simple solutions are often the best. Take a look at the Thai gray water system, the just let it run onto the garden. Dish washing water often contains seeds from vegies which sprout, grow and continue to be watered.

Originally Posted by ECO WARRIOR

Do I have to have 10 posts before I can post links, that’s a bitch

Pls don't post irrelevant links. There's lots of good suggestions here, it would be better to comment on what's already been posted.

Originally Posted by lom

You told us it is a lot

So now you tell us how much that is

You're the one who gives a toss what the exact figure is, not me.

You tell us how much it is

show us how you have calculated that the gain is only a couple of hundred quids per year

The best thing he could do to save electricity is to turn off all the air conditioning in the home. Let's say he did this for one year. According to Con Edison, it costs 12-25 cents/hour to run a window A/C unit that is 6,000-12,000 BTU's, with an energy efficiency rating of 9-10.

So even if we estimate slightly higher to be safe, and say the A/C, at the bottom end of the BTU range, costs 15c/hour $0.15 x 12 hours/day = $1.80 x 20 days/month = $21.60 per month.

Yearly savings would be $259.20 = 18,000 baht, give or take.

If you believe installing a solar panel & all that other shit would give you a better saving than turning off your air-con for over a year then you're in the grip of advanced mental illness.

^ Please re-read the thread again.
It is not about how to create electricity from solar energy but how to build a your house in a smart way to conserve energy.
Your calculations for aircons seems to be ok, I reckon I could save around 20.000 Baht on electricity yearly if I wasn't running the two I have.
The one in the bedroom is sparsely used but the one in my work room is running 12/7/24.
I could probably save another 6-700 Baht per month on electricity for hot water in bathrooms and kitchen, the investment needed for that is ~ 15.000 Baht (hot water tank, isolation, solar panel home made from pvc pipes).

So, for me personally, a saving of ~ 2000 Baht monthly is possible.
You may think it's not much but you'll prolly change your mind when coming here to live on your TEFL'er wage..
There are people living here who intend to stay for years or for life.
For them, a half fortune can be saved if building their house in a smart way.

Originally Posted by lom

It is not about how to create electricity from solar energy but how to build a your house in a smart way to conserve energy

You asked me how I knew the amount saved would be around a couple of hundred quid a year. With my example I'm just demonstrating that whatever you do to save energy in your house, the amounts you would conserve are nowhere near as much as you would save if you simply turned off all the air con.

Which is a couple of hundred a year.

You may think it's not much but you'll prolly change your mind when coming here to live on your TEFL'er wage

I don't think I'll be constructing a Lego house to live in. I'll most likely move a bird into an apartment & demand she pays half the rent. I'm not like you mugs who pays a woman (& half the family a subsidy) to live with them.

There are people living here who intend to stay for years or for life

Most of them have one foot in the grave - they'd be better off saving the cash for the looming hospital bills

a half fortune can be saved if building their house in a smart way.

I agree, but how much is a 'half-fortune' when it's at home & is it less than the materials you need to build a house?

I doubt it.

Unless you're a young man who plans to live in the house forever, this is all just climate change racket propaganda.

You may as well buy yourself a Greenpeace T-shirt for all the good it's going to do.

Alex; stop equating solar power to electricity production. It's shit and doesn't really work. Where is does work (very well in fact) is in heating water, which is why more and more people are doing it.

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

'll most likely move a bird into an apartment & demand she pays half the rent

you have no idea, do you?

I save on my electricity bill by not having air con and not using any hot water.
the water comes out warm enough for me at this time of year.

electric bill was a wopping 400 baht this month.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

I save on my electricity bill by not having air con and not using any hot water. the water comes out warm enough for me at this time of year. electric bill was a wopping 400 baht this month.

i don't save.

i like my aircon at nights.

i prefer hot water in the mornings.

my bill is too much each month.

Originally Posted by kingwilly

you have no idea, do you?

About what?

electric bill was a wopping 400 baht this month

That's my point.

I'm assuming CMN's house isn't an eco-friendly Lego job. How much could he save a year by installing all those measures mentioned?

It's not worth the effort.

^
high ceilings seem to have helped the place remain cooler.

my old house was extremely hot at this time of year, but I have never much cared for air con. couple of fans around the place do the trick.

i also don't wear any clothes.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

i also don't wear any clothes.

that was not a thought i needed in me head.

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

I'm assuming CMN's house isn't an eco-friendly Lego job. How much could he save a year by installing all those measures mentioned?

Might not be able to save anything, but he could have a much cooler, more comfortable house with hot water for free. Some of the things that can be done, such as venting and insulation would only cost a matter of a few thousand baht, so if they give an improvement then it's probably worth doing.