[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Solar House passes the Test

Tue Dec 5 09:04:31 CST 2006

Thanks. 

The Cedar beams were harvested from the site last winter.  I used the
"hair in the air" system, which I'll explain below, to cut them down.
The area cleared of cedar was then used to put in the sewer lagoon, so
we only cleared what we absolutely needed to.  

The storm shelter area is also my laundry room and bedroom closet.  I
wanted it close to the bedroom so I could crawl in there if the
tornadoes get close.  It has concrete walls, and the roof is wood but
strapped down with steel straps at every ceiling joist. 

I think the information in the archives is the same as you see on the
site, so it isn't a big deal if they don't work. 

Hair in the Air system:

The small branches on a tree are called the "hair".  Most normal trees,
you cut them down, then lop off branches from the ground.  Cedars have
many large branches sticking straight out from the trunk.  If you drop
the cedar, then the branches on the bottom are all under tension.
Sawing them becomes very frustrating, the saw is constantly pinched, the
log is constantly falling on you, and you have to wade into a jungle of
tangled branches.  That's if the branches don't get hung up in an
adjacent tree, which creates a "widowmaker".  Getting a tree down when
it's been cut and is hung up in another tree is very dangerous. 

To cut the hair in the air, you climb the tree, which is easy in a
Cedar, and attach a climbing rope at the top.  Rappel down as you lop
off branches.  The branches fall away as you cut them, the saw is never
pinched, mostly you are working below the level of your feet so it is
very hard to get injured, and when you are done, there is a clean log
with a rope attached to the top, which you can use to control where the
tree falls. This is really effective if you are totally comfortable with
rappelling and rockclimbing techniques, and crazy nuts if you are not.  

"Cro-Magnon" Lile, Ex rock climbin' fool

-----Original Message-----
From: RONALD CASCIO [mailto:roncascio at verizon.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 3:39 AM
To: Lawrence Lile
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Solar House passes the Test

Nice site Lawrence. I should do something similar with our place. The
house 
is looking grand. I especially like the cedar beams, are they harvested
from 
the site? How big is the place and where are you? We have a cold 
storage/storm shelter also, but not as nice as yours.

The archives won't come up for me.

Ron

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lawrence Lile" <LLile at projsolco.com>
To: <greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 4:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Solar House passes the Test

> Kieth,
>
> Here is the Blog for the house
> http://members.socket.net/~llile/buildgreen/buildgreen.htm
>
> I need to upload a few later pictures, and getting the plans online
> would be really cool!
>
>
>
> Lawrence Lile, P.E., LEED AP
> Senior Electrical Engineer
> Project Solutions Engineering
> 573-443-7100 X 221
> 573-999-3450 Cell
> 1390 Boone Industrial Dr Suite 200
> Columbia MO 65202
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
> [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Keith
> Winston
> Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 9:19 AM
> To: Greenbuilder list
> Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] Solar House passes the Test
> Importance: Low
>
> Congrats! Are you going to do a summary overview of the house
somewhere,
>
> maybe one with web, with pictures, floorplans, engineering specs and
> wall sections (hint, hint)? I know you've talked about it lots, but
it's
>
> always nice to have everything in one place...
>
> I hope this doesn't mean you're going to have to turn your radio off
in
> warmer weather...
>
> Keith
>
>
> Lawrence Lile wrote:
>> Well the house I am building passed a tough test this weekend.
>>
>> The house is sheetrocked, insulated, all the windows are in, the
shell
> is basically there.  There is no heat, no electrical devices anywhere
> int he house.  A couple of outlets are live for the Contractor's saws.
>>
>> Missouri, as you may have heard, had a record snow followed by bitter
> cold weather the last week.  I measured 16"of snow in front of my
house.
> The mercury had dropped to 13F overnight.
>>
>> After several days of this, I finally dug my way out and went to the
> new house.  At 8AM it was 55Finside, and at 1PM it was 65F inside.
The
> only heating device in the house was a radio I was listening to,
> producing maybe a watt of power.  I was worried about whether I needed
> to back up the heating circuit with solar electric and batteries- Ha!
> if the power goes out, I'll have to put on an extra pair of socks,
> that's about it.  Glass and Mass, folks, it is amazing stuff!
>>
>> --Lawrence Lile
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> -- 
> Keith Winston
> Earth Sun Energy Systems
> 3927 Madison St.
> Hyattsville, MD 20781
> 301-980-6325
> keith at earthsunenergy.com
> www.EarthSunEnergy.com
>
>
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>
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>
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