Overall Energy Requirements
Panels producing 6 kW can be placed on the master bedroom roof,
Panels with 2-axis tracking can improve energy production by 40%. Panels with 1-axis tracking can improve energy production by 30%.
Meeting minutes: May 28, 2009
Participants: Kevin and Amy Daly, Jeff Gerber, Brent, Hans, Emmanuelle, Lisa, Michael, Jerome, and Susan Holland
Length: 1.5 hours
Summary of Discussion:
Overall Energy Requirements
Brent: According to the initial energy needs study, the home and green house require 16kw? Panels producing 15 kW can be placed on the master bedroom roof, leaving 5kw extra, as 20 KW is what we can produce
Panels with 2-axis tracking can improve energy production by 30%. However, present a few concerns including maintenance issues during freezing temperatures.
We cannot exceed 20 KW, which is the maximum allowance for 2 residences. It will require 2 inverters and 2 meters to be approved by Jim Chappell.
Green House Energy requirements:
If the green house underground heating system is not sufficient how do we supplement?
Jerome thinks that the fan and automated venting would be the only use of electricity necessary in the green house (400-500w maximum). 2 or 3 fans will be necessary, requiring about 120 watts each.
Very little lightening should be used in order not confuse the natural photosynthesis intake pattern of the plants.
A couple of small 24-volt controls for operating awning windows will be necessary (operating with a rod, one motor can link several windows to open and close simultaneously).
Michael mentioned that a thermostat operating insulated shades might also be needed.
Jerome thinks that 2 circulations fans might be needed to pump the hot air. Although, the water tank in the green house will also help keep the temperature more constant.
If grown, hydroponics will not require much energy.
Solar thermal/Geothermal
We might use only 4 solar geothermal panels, the best location for the panels for solar thermal? If we go with Geothermal do we need the solar thermal?
Envelope (70 and 68) most house is usually ET at 64
Ventilation
Hot water
Miscellaneous heating load
During its; initial load estimate, Brent got giant numbers—20%off top, after taking out, sizing for peak, maximum load now 200,00btu per hour
John Grove will come on Monday at 10:00am on Monday. Emmanuelle met with Mike Zopf who is open to a whole water system gray/black water system; Mike will be contacting john to talk about specific technical aspects.
Note: Let’s try to use the blog more often for conversations and keep conference
Water catchment systems: Lisa had suppliers that make metric systems
Pilot project 10 projects in Colorado need to state representative for house under 3,000squre feet.
Action Items:
1.Susan will research durable tracking equipment. (E.g. installations in the Stagecoach area and in the Aspen area through Solar Energy International and Sun Sense (Scott Ely) in Carbondale.
2.Break out session between Michael, Jerome and Lisa to plan for the venting system, including the eastern, upper and southern vents.
3.Everyone needs to develop an accurate inventory of every piece of equipment to be used in conjunction with the energy consumption, including schedules of usage –peaks and lows-, and wattages.
4.Lisa will research the energy requirement necessary for a hydroponic system.
5.Hans, Emmanuelle and Lisa will do a little more research electric on-demand water showers.
6.Jerome, Lisa and Michael will start developing bed design and planting plans for Jeff to review and put into the model in order to assure that no structures need to be moved – could move the columns if needed-.
7.Mike will post the link to the new legislation and research permit for water catchment.
8.Emmanuelle will look at a way to send a notification to everyone when someone makes a new post on the blog.
9. Lisa will research water catchment and development in Vail
10. John grove will be in town Monday @ 10 AM
11. Lisa and emmanuelle will provide a plan by June 15th for enhancing portions the landscape
Meeting minutes: 05.18.09
Participants: Kevin, Amy, Jeff, Hans, Brent, Michael, Jerome, Emmanuelle, and Lisa
Time:8:30 am -9:45 am
Summary of Discussion:
Energy:
Solar/geothermal:
Sun power Panels are 230 watts the others are???
Solar glass panels on green house would need to be customized to a trapezoid shape and therefore be expensive. There is no other place on house to put other panels either than on the master bedroom roof and the spot determined by Brent on the side of house.
With some improvements to make the existing house 10 to 20% more efficient, 15kw should be sufficient to run the house, and provide for 5% excess (e.g. pumping for geothermal). By law, the maximum is 20kw, otherwise you we have to become a power distributor. The energy estimates do not take into consideration the retrofit of a more efficient boiler, which could possibly cut the heat consumption down 12%.
Would be great to have solar collectors to supplements hot water and heating as well
Geothermal would be ideal, but solar thermal might be more cost effective for now. Solar thermal would provide domestic hot water, but with a system 200, 000 btu (20 solar panels) would only cover up to 70% of the radiant heat needs, which would not provide a net zero solution. If geothermal is added later on, the redundancy of the system become a problem for maintenance and getting rid of heat in summer time.
Need to decide on the geothermal option and drill a test hole. An estimate of 8 to 12 holes would cost about $40,000, and will determine the final sizing need to be made, the site might be as good as a thermo conductivity of 1.
Price of geo driller are going down, see cost of 10-20 dollars a foot. Horizontal is about the same cost that a vertical loop field now. Cheapest route is to keep hole on the flat and use vertical wells, which gives better conductivity.
Scheme F:
Deck of master bedroom:
Would a transparent porch - with glass or polycarbonate floor- porch of the master on the east side –small: 4 by 6-8’- be too much of a sun lost? Because of the overhang, early morning sun in the winter would be lost is there you will lost . A deck on the west would work best.
3 solutions:
1. cover deck to the south
2. carving out on the west wall of the master, moving master bedroom space into light monitor on the east
3. one large opening instead of the 3 single opening with rap around deck a feeling of outside in the master.
Wainscoat inside green house on existing wall should be changed to all rock would create more thermal mass.
Snow accumulation on south side of green house:
Brent has not included radiant snow mount in front of greenhouse in his estimations. The amount of heat that is required to melt snow from underneath is “exhortative”. Could you use energy to melt only when needed, but could still be looking at 100-125 btu.
The stone on the bottom section of the green house would heat the snow naturally from radiance. Gerome thinks that 3feet wall should be sufficient. Michael suggested that zinc or copper would absorb sun faster and more efficiently than rock. But usually when snow builds up there is no sun.
jerome suggested that some of south glazing be equipped with a hoper window, could open in to get ventilation instead of pushing snow if needed?
jerome, Michael and Lisa can do shadow studies to see what we can grow on floor panels, and determine if semi transparent solar panels would be of benefit to the green house. They will start developing a planting floor plant for the green house.
Action Steps:
1. Call with John Grove Weds 11am MST to discuss grey water options
2. Hans and Kevin to go to Basalt to see Jerome’s greenhouse
3. Evo and kyle o review landscape
4. Jeff, Jerome, lisa to begin looking at floor plan
5. Brent, Kevin and Jeff to continue work on energy analysis
