[Greenbuilding] Solar shades

[arthur landerholm]

A carbon-negative option:  Hops trained up a trellis or a rope are a great
option for perennial summer shade on a west face.  They'll grow up to 20'
and bush out nicely (buy strong rope).  The flowers are also quite fragrant,
at least if you like beer.  

Probably too late for this season but here's a website for next year:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/rhizomes.html

-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Lawrence Lile
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2007 7:30 AM
To: Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
Subject: [Greenbuilding] Solar shades

I've got a couple of West windows, and I had planned to put some external
solar shades on them about the time simmer comes along.  Well, Summer is
here!  The computer model says that the three windows on the West are like
25% of my air conditioning load.  Sheesh.  West windows are terrible energy
hogs, they contribute little solar gain in the winter when you need it, and
plenty of solar gain in the summer when you don't.  Ah, but sometimes, you
just need to see out to the West.  
 
A perusal of Home Depot's offerings revealed three kinds of rollup external
shades.  "Natural oak" which is made of real, actual basswood; bamboo; and
PVC.   ("Oak" now refers to a color, not to a species of tree. Next they'll
have "Real Wood" made of polyethylene.)  
 
. . . 
 
--Lawrence 
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