[Strawbale] Michele's planned attached greenhouse

[Raftercat5 at aol.com]

I think I am on the right track. The house is planned to be strawbale.  South 
facing windows, concrete floor, Trembley wall, woodstove with cob or stone  
surround for thermal storage short term, maybe a greenhouse attached to the 
main  living space. I can't do wind due to HMA covenants. The Annualized  Ground  
solar system that Don Stephens talks about might heat the basement. I hope to 
 only need minimal back-up (and I think the building code may require 
back-up). I  will check out the systems you mentioned.  Thanks for the input.  

Michele O


Michele:  That sounds wonderful, but think of this:  a greenhouse  gets very 
humid because the plants will need water.  The humidity will  probably go 
through the coating on your strawbale wall (whether it be lime  plaster, muds, 
etc.) and into your strawbales.  The only thing I can think  of to alleviate this 
potential problem is to cover your wall between the  greenhouse and the house 
wall with a waterproof material.  Of course, if  you make the whole wall out 
of sliding glass doors and windows, with no  strawbales there, it would give 
you LOTS of solar heat for free (that is, if  it's facing south).  I hope 
others here will be able to advise you  better.  This is just MHO.  We're also 
building an SB house and I'd  LOVE to have a greenhouse, but I think it should be 
free-standing, not attached  to the SB wall.  Best of luck on your house!
- Kathy



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