[Strawbale] PEX tubing in floors

[David Neeley]

John,

In one respect, California's "hot Central Valley" is quite a bit
easier to deal with than would be a hot and humid environment such as
much of the Southeastern U.S. including, unfortunately, eastern Texas.

One characteristic of an arid environment is a much larger temperature
swing between daytime and night than in a humid environment. This
means that relatively cooler night air can be more effective at taking
away the heat built up during the day. Because strawbale houses are so
well insulated, it takes longer for them to heat up during the day.
With appropriate daylighting controls, then, a house can be shut up
for much of the day, and opened wide at night to dump excessive heat.

Obviously, that is not always the case even where it is arid. However,
it is much more often so.

David

On 5/1/07, John Swearingen <john.skillfulmeans at gmail.com> wrote:

> One of the things we've discovered is that we can design SB buildings, that
> will not require air conditioning, even in California's hot Central Valley.
> The buildings might be warmer, and temperature fluctuations wider, then in
> an air conditioned building, but I would say that such variation is healthy,
> stimulating the body to respond and adapt.  And when the living environment
> is not so far removed from the outdoor climate, the outdoors is not
> perceived as hostile, difficult or unmanageable.  Lifestyles and perceptions
> can change significantly as a result.