[Greenbuilding] Sustainable Home Heating Systems

[wmdorsett at sbcglobal.net]

Ross, if you are from the part of Eastern Colorado that I'm familiar 
with, out on the Colorado/Kansas border, trees are far and few. It would 
seem that fuel in the form of corn or other grain is more locally 
available for the feed lots. How long term and sustainable that industry 
is where water is scarce....?  Importing firewood sounds at least in the 
short term to be more expensive.

Bill Dorsett
Sunwrights
Manhattan, KS

Ross MacLeod wrote:
> I am looking at retrofitting a home in Eastern Canada to be more energy
> efficient, and to employ a more sustainable heating system.  I am addressing
> the 'envelop' first but there are practical limits to how efficient I can
> make it in the short term.
>
> Given climate, cost, and reliability issues with the future use of Natural
> gas to heat homes, and the critical nature of heating in a cold environment
> like ours, I am looking for a reliable long term source of space and water
> heating.   I am planning to use solar thermal to be the primary source of
> water heating, but debating the short and long term benefits of high
> efficiency wood stoves versus biomass pellet stoves for space heating.
>
> On the positive side of biomass pellet stoves:
>
>    - they can burn pellets made from various biomass materials including;
>    wood, switchgrass, corn ... so that you should have a reliable supply over
>    time
>    - the fuel is very cost effective today, and compares favourably with
>    other sources (superior to wood stoves)
>    - they are environmentally friendly
>
> On the negative side:
>
>    - today the fuelling process is not very convenient and requires
>    frequent refills during the depths of winter
>    - relatively high maintenance due to chinking
>    - requires electricity to operate the augers and fans that are
>    essential for it to work.   As a result, they are generally not as reliable
>    as wood stoves
>
> Does anyone have any related insights, or knowledge of recent innovations
> that might influence the outcome of my assessment?
> _______________________________________________
> Greenbuilding email list
> List info: http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_listserv.repp.org
> List email: Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
> Managed by BuildingGreen, Inc. http://www.buildinggreen.com
>       publisher of Environmental Building News and GreenSpec(r)
> Hosted and archived by REPP / CREST http://www.crest.org
>
>