“The back mass wall is up to the 7th course of bags and another course of foam insulation is about to start. In the video I show how the geotextile is woven through the mass wall making it monolithic. This is an invention by Howard Switzer (the Architect on this project) and he calls it “continuous buttress earthbag walls”. This design eliminates the need for poured concrete buttresses and battering the walls (leaning them back) and allows for a cleaner looking straight walled interior. We have had 300% the normal rainfall this summer in TN and this has resulted in much less progess than was anticipated.
zero energy
Greenhouse Construction of the Zero Energy Thermal Mass Greenhouse
“The Zero Energy Thermal Mass Greenhouse solves the problem of freezing weather and a short season climate when you need to grow food. There is no grid connection for heat. It will work anywhere. The two big things that it does best is to allow you to grow transplants to extend your growing season, and reduce the plant maturity days of each crop that you grow. You can also grow summer foods in the winter. It can also be used as a work space to dry vegetables, process honey from your hives, etc.”
Cold Fusion Now Art Contest
I’ve put a great deal of time and effort into understanding what’s happening with LENR/cold fusion reactions. Overwhelming evidence confirms LENR is proven beyond doubt, but exactly how the process works is still not understood. Fully understanding the process is vital to engineering efficient LENR devices. The Cold Fusion Now art contest was an impetus for me to express my ideas and draw awareness to what I believe is one of the greatest discoveries ever. Affordable, clean energy is vital to everyone’s dream of a sustainable future. My entry attempts to illustrate (however crudely) what is occurring inside the LENR reactor at an atomic level. Please take a look and leave a comment at Cold Fusion Now. You can go directly to my entry by clicking here.
Cumulative Home Energy Costs
– Why Every American Homeowner Should be Concerned “The following table represents a scenario where home energy bills increase by a very modest 5% per year over a 50 year time frame. Look up your current monthly energy bill to see what your cumulative energy bill will be years into the future. The column highlighted … Read more
Save $100,000 on Zero Energy Homes
I was browsing Build it Solar.com, one of my favorite websites, and found the Montague Urban Homestead zero energy home pictured above. I was initially attracted to the home design by its simple lines and potential for do-it-yourself owner-builders (the focus audience of our blog). But then I saw the $180,000 price tag and was … Read more
Cody Lundin’s Zero Energy Home
No heating or air conditioning, and yet Cody’s house stays around 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Cody’s website and book explain how he built his ferrocement house. You could build a house like this with earthbags on the sides and ferrocement on the roof. “It’s winter in the high desert as I write this, and last night … Read more