[Greenbuilding] Trying to maximize passive solar gain without investing too much....

[Corwyn]

On Apr 18, 2007, at 22:01, Lawrence Lile wrote:

> That's a good short answer, Corwyn.  I'd add that, in a conventionally 
> constructed home, you probably won't have too much mass.  At some 
> point, a lot of mass leads to slow heat-up, and if the building ever 
> does get cold, you end up spending $$$ to get it back up to temp. 
> Double sheetrock is a good idea and is not nearly enough mass to have 
> this negative effect, that's my guess. 

So let's think about how that building got cold.  Either I spent some 
time in the house with it slowly getting cold and not putting any money 
into heating it, then the money I saved, I get to put right back in (no 
free lunch).  Or I left the house empty for a long time, in which case 
it is not in my caveats (continuously occupied) so, high thermal mass 
would not be my best option.

I don't see much problem with slow heat-up, since every heating season 
is proceeded (around here anyway) with a season of excess heat.  So the 
house always starts the winter, toasty warm.

There are supposedly some houses (earthships, for instance) which are 
said to take more than one summer to fully charge up.  I have no 
experience with them, but I should think that never having to heat it 
again would be ample compensation for such an arrangement.


Thank You Kindly,

Corwyn

-- 
Corwyn
Kermit didn't know the half of it...
http://www.greenfret.com/
corwyn at greenfret.com