[Greenbuilding] Passive solar in Florida?

[YankeePerm at aol.com]

Solar principles apply, but the better strategy is to use shade and fairly 
dense tree (or bamboo) planting to aid cooling.   At our place, there is no 
option for solar heating because of the large trees, which are more valuable to us 
in terms of reducing AC energy costs. (Also, we heat with wood, which is 
almost cost free for us.)   Some years back, when I lived in Jacksonville, it was 
a commonplace rule of thumb that heating loads and cooling loads were about 
equal at that latitude.   No doubt that line has moved north with climate 
change.  So the major consideration is the reduction of cooling load, which is 
difficult to obtain without recourse to purchased (polluting) energy.   Wood heat 
is an excellent option if you can respond to the abundance of supply right 
after a hurricane (or more locally, after a tornado).   A chain saw, a pickup 
truck, and a simple wood shed are minor investments for perpetual fuel.   As a 
migrant from New England, I was astonished when my wood pile rotted in less than 
a year.   A wood shed is a must, but it can be very simple, just keeping most 
of the rain off the pile.   Ours has 2x4 hog wire on the sides instead of 
walls for ventilation.   This holds the wood from projecting beyond the studs.   A 
non-earthen floor is also useful--can be landscaping tiles, gravel, etc.   We 
use a very small Jotul cook stove and can use abundant firewood to cook for 
1/2 the year, saving energy on cooking fuel also. (The fire box is only about 
12 inches deep and about 4x6" in cross section.) We hope to add a summer 
kitchen to the building at some point so we can at least do major projects and 
canning with wood also.   Almost all our wood comes from our site, mainly fallen 
branches of older trees, and more recently material I've planted from seed or 
cuttings and bamboo I've grown.   Ventilation is the key.   Our house is three 
stories high and we can draw cool air in when cooking in spring or fall through 
convection.   The traditional sprawling house with its excessive footprint 
would require an assist to achieve the same degree of ventilation we get.   

I have designed an attached greenhouse for our chicken coop, which will 
provide winter heat incidentally, for the chickens, and which will be shaded in 
summer by fast-growing vines.   However, we have so many potential projects I 
doubt if it will ever get built.   I'd strongly recommend some form of vegetative 
shade --   vines -- to cover your glazing in warmer months.   These can be 
productive, of course, for example Seminole squash.   Ornamental vines such as 
morning glory also can provide excellent seasonal shade.   One of my 
permaculture design students simply used a lath lattice to lean against the building for 
summer shade, covered with gourd vines.   However that was in Michigan.   
Here in Florida, you want something a bit more resistant to the wind, possibly 
wire under tension, for example.

For Mother Earth



Dan Hemenway



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Barking Frogs Permaculture Center
www.barkingfrogspermaculture.org

Our 12th Annual Permaculture Design Course Online begins Oct. 14, 2007. The 
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