Passive Solar Home
For this project we were tasked with building a tiny house where we used as little energy as possible. To do this we used daylighting techniques to create more light throughout the day. We also had to select materials that would help us keep the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. For our walls we went with an un-traditional method, rammed earth. Rammed earth is where you create two mold for the walls and then you compress dirts and clay to create walls. This provides ample insulation because it is one foot of solid wall
Solar Water Heater
In this project we were tasked with building a tiny house that used as little energy as possible and it was under a budget. So we decided to go with a less tradional way, rammed earth house. Rammed earth housing is when you create two molds in the shape then you push dirt and compress it so tight that it creates a wall. We then had to create a way to get electricity which was a wind turbine.
Our first task for this project was to design a solar water heater. The solar water heater had to only be powered by the sun. We then came up with many different ideas on how to go about designing this water heater. We ended up going with a design that used convection to move the water around an plastic tube and through a copper pipe. We then laid aluminum paper underneath and on the sides to reflect the suns rays. We then covered the heater in cling wrap to kept the heat in. The cling wrap was used as an insulator. We conducted this experiment by placing the water through the plastic tube and the cooper pipe by using a funnel. We then let the water sit in the sun and we took a temperature every five minutes for 40 minutes.
Daylight design Model
After reviewing and researching, we found many different solar daylight design models. First we created a model that has no windows and calculated the amount of energy used in a day. After seeing the very high numbers, we then used our daylight design techniques to incorporate into the house. We had to redesign the house to make room for each persons personal design points. In each room we tried a different techniques. The different techniques we used were a clerestory window, which is where the ledge from the the roof below and an overhang are a tilted at a slight angle to let in light during certain times of the day. We also used skylights, which areas of glass on the roof to let light into rooms that do not have as much access to windows. We also attempted to use a solar tube, which has the same concept as an skylight but, it is made out of reflective material and is a tube that collects sunlight. We also used a light shelf, which is an overhang underneath the window that reflects light into the room to make it more bright. We also had an control room where we used a large amount of windows that let in the most amount of light.
MAterials heat testing
Here we tested the many different materials under heat. First, we came up with a process to test the materials within our groups. Then as a class we came together and came up with a process. We decided to have each group two different materials of their choice, then we would hang a heat lamp one foot above the counter top. We then would place our material on top of a piece of thin plywood. Then we turned on the lamp and started a timer. We then took the temperature of the material every two minutes for ten minutes. Then we turned the heat lamp off and continued to take temperatures every two minutes for the next ten minutes, to test how well the materials hold heat.
Building Design
Generation of electricity
We created many different types of blades. We tried different lengths and shapes and angles of the blades. The best shape we came up with was a blade that spun with 16.99 watts of energy. First we created a small base then we added 8 2 in long blades at a 45 degree angle. We founnd that smaller blades work at higher force winds.
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Content
Radiation:the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy particles that cause ionization.
Conduction:the process by which heat or electricity is directly transmitted through a substance when there is a difference of temperature or of electrical potential between adjoining regions, without movement of the material.
Convection: the movement caused within a fluid by the tendency of hotter and therefore less dense material to rise, and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat.
Insulation: A material used to keep heat inside when it is cool outside and keep the house cool in the summer to do this we used rammed earth method.
Day lighting techniques: Methods to get more light inside of the house. The different ways are Light Shelves, Clear story windows, Solar Tubes, Skylights, South facing Windows and The color choices
Solar Angles: To determine what angles of direct light that you want this is used to figure out which day lighting techniques to use.
Light shelves: These are shelves underneath windows that reflect light into the house.
Clear story Windows: These windows are high and at the top of the ceiling to add more light into the house
Solar tubes: These are tubes that attract light and reflect into a specific area of the house
Skylights: These are windows on the roof of a house where they are in an area that would typically not get light from windows so it has to get it from above.
South facing windows: These are windows that are on the south side so they get the most light throughout the day
Color choices: We chose a light colored roof and light colored walls for maximum amount of light because our walls are slightly darker. Lighter colors means less light and heat are absorbed so it is warmer and lighter inside the house.
Specific Heat capacity:the heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by a given amount
Why low energy?
Conduction:the process by which heat or electricity is directly transmitted through a substance when there is a difference of temperature or of electrical potential between adjoining regions, without movement of the material.
Convection: the movement caused within a fluid by the tendency of hotter and therefore less dense material to rise, and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat.
Insulation: A material used to keep heat inside when it is cool outside and keep the house cool in the summer to do this we used rammed earth method.
Day lighting techniques: Methods to get more light inside of the house. The different ways are Light Shelves, Clear story windows, Solar Tubes, Skylights, South facing Windows and The color choices
Solar Angles: To determine what angles of direct light that you want this is used to figure out which day lighting techniques to use.
Light shelves: These are shelves underneath windows that reflect light into the house.
Clear story Windows: These windows are high and at the top of the ceiling to add more light into the house
Solar tubes: These are tubes that attract light and reflect into a specific area of the house
Skylights: These are windows on the roof of a house where they are in an area that would typically not get light from windows so it has to get it from above.
South facing windows: These are windows that are on the south side so they get the most light throughout the day
Color choices: We chose a light colored roof and light colored walls for maximum amount of light because our walls are slightly darker. Lighter colors means less light and heat are absorbed so it is warmer and lighter inside the house.
Specific Heat capacity:the heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by a given amount
Why low energy?
Reflection
Throughout this project my group and I have had many setbacks. First we all took turns being absent for weeks at a time, each missing large chunks of the project. After, we had started the budget cost we then decided to change the structure of the house to a rammed earth house. This was a huge setback because it took a lot of extra work to figure out how to blueprint a new type of house. This took much longer than anticipated but was overall more effective. Though sometimes we had a hard time working together we overall were good at time management, it took us a lot less time then other groups would have taken on this project. To alot time for this house we had to work outside of class to make it the best it can be. We also had a good system of dividing work. This helped with our time management. For example I had was assigned the budget and blueprints while Eliam worked on the 3-D model and Matt figured out exactly how the mixture for the walls would cost. Though this project I learned that I am good at finding materials for the cheapest price possible. I am also good at figuring out math to estimate cost of houses because this was my main job in the project. Next time I will try to get off task less to contribute to the project more. I will also try to focus on the main goal on the project and not just fixate on just one area of the project.