Zero Net Energy Homes - At last report, Americans were still spending more than $222 billion annually to heat and cool their homes and offices. Some of the energy needed to accomplish this task now comes from our enemies, such as Iraq, our 6th largest supplier of petroleum. If the U.S. is serious about winning the War on Terrorism, such imports need to be stopped to reduce our vulnerability from this type of exposure. To quickly reduce petroleum imports, we need to conserve energy for structure heating and cooling. NPI has a solution in the form of “zero net energy” homes and structures technology, and with your help this very effective energy saving technology can soon be commercially available.Zero Net Energy homes are custom designed for each area. Initial design is based on passive solar heating and cooling, and David A. Nuttle's U.S. Patent Numbers: 4, 507, 218 and 4,552,212 and 4,608,175. Contact NPI for further details.
Typical Features
of ZNE Homes and Structures:
(Needful Provision, Inc. (NPI) will provide further details upon request.)
1) |
Building site (land) with good solar access. |
2) |
Well for potable water. |
3) |
Passive solar design with adequate, efficient floor space. |
4) |
Steel-reinforced concrete foundation to support walls 2 ft. thick. |
5) |
Packed sand & gravel, 18 inches in depth, to support main floors. |
6) |
Steel framing material (wood fully dries and becomes weak in solar structures). |
7) |
Alternative construction materials; e.g. earth-block, straw bale, cordwood, etc. |
8) |
Fiber-filled stucco to protect the exterior surface of walls. |
9) |
Solar attic with PVC-type glazing for the roof and ceiling. |
10) |
Automated, insulated shutters over the ceiling (shutters open on cold days). |
11) |
Solar hot water, and a solar oven. |
12) |
Composting toilets and greywater recycling. |
13) |
Alternative energy systems such as photovoltaics, wind, microhydro, etc. |
14) |
Energy conserving appliances, mostly using 12 or 24-volt power. |
15) |
Thermocycle systems that store heat or cold in the mass of the structure. |
16) |
Earth-block floors, with tile, to store heat from interior sunlight (due to 9 & 10). |
17) |
A solar sunspace or attached greenhouse. |
18) |
Backup heating including a rock-box heated by hot air from the solar attic. |
19) |
A steel-reinforced, concrete “safe room,” with Hepa air filter and “72 hour kits.” |
20) |
One room to support a cottage industry/ microenterprise of choice. |
21) |
Edible landscaping & home food production areas. |
22) |
Instruction on techniques to facilitate self-help construction. |
23) |
Alternative financing systems to avoid large, long-term debts for construction. |
Reference: http://www.adobebuilder.com
"Earthquake-proof Foundations"
In areas exposed to the dangers of earthquakes, an earthquake-proof design should be considered for foundations of homes. The suggested foundation, as shown in the following drawing, has a fixed lower section with a "floating" upper section. As usual, the lower section is supported by the earth --and the upper section of the foundation is supported by the lower part (with a layer of grease between). A flexible material, such as a heavy rubber-rod (located in matching holes in both lower and upper sections) allows the upper part to move during an earthquake. Since the house sits on the upper section of the foundation, this design allows the house to move without suffering much damage. (A gravel sub- floor, and gravel on the outside of the upper foundation section acts to facilitate non-damaging movement of a house during an earthquake.)
(See drawing below.)
