MY ENVIRONMENTALLY- FRIENDLY HOUSE

By Benjamin Bolshinsky

Introduction:In the course of the Collaborative unit I designed an eco-friendly house. This house uses very little energy and emits a lot less carbon dioxide then average Australian houses. By applying energy and water-saving equipment I have dramatically reduced the greenhouse gasses the house releases, making this an ideal house. In my ‘wiki space’ I have included a design of the house and a blueprint.

Throughout this PowerPoint I will be discussing my house, primarily the energy-saving equipment I have included. Enjoy!

Please note that if you have trouble opening any documents from this PowerPoint they will all be available in my wiki- space.

Solar PanelsIn general there are three types of solar panels:

Monocrystalline solar panels- These solar panels are made from a large crystal of silicon. These are most efficient in absorbing sunlight and converting it into energy. They work somewhat better in lower light conditions then other solar panels.

Polycrystalline solar panels are most common solar panels. They look like shattered glass and are less efficient then Monocrystalline solar panels. Instead of one large crystal, this solar panel consists of multiple amounts of smaller crystals. They are also slightly cheaper.

Amorphous solar panels consist of a thin film made form molten silicon, spread across large steel plates. These solar panels are not efficient and are cheapest to produce.

In my house design I have chosen to include Monocrystalline solar panels because they are more efficient then other solar panels and will continue to work for long periods of time without malfunction. In the end these solar panels will turn out cheaper due to accumulating more energy.

InsulationThere are many types of insulation available to Australian homes. In the house I

have design I have chosen Loose-fill insulation because it lasts longer and is more efficient. I will place the insulation between floors, ceiling and walls because these are the places most air escapes from.

Loose-fill insulation is composed of loose fibres that are blown into attics using special equipment. Loose-fill insulation is most efficient and costly. Loose-fill insulation is mostly fire-proof.

Blanket insulation is composed of fibreglass and mineral fibres. This insulation is also high quality and varies in thickness. It is normally fitted between wood frames and rafters to insulate between the floors in houses. Blanket insulation is the least expensive, however it requires most care.

Rigid board insulation is made of fibreglass and polystyrene. This insulation is used in flat roofs and basement walls.

Spray foam insulation is a liquid containing polymer agent and foaming agent. It is sprayed into cracks and spaces. It prevents air from escaping.

Roofing The roof I have included in my design is somewhat different from an ordinary Australian roof.

Please click on the link at the top of the page to view the it. The roof includes:

Terra-Cotta tiles- These tiles last lots longer then normal tiles and give the house a colourful look.

Monocrystalline solar panels - These solar panels are very efficient. They absorb the sun’s rays and turn them into electricity. The solar panels can save up to $1000 per year.

Wind Turbine: A small turbine is situated on the roof. It converts wind into energy. It also saves a substantial amount of money every year.

Gutter: There is a gutter around the roof which collects the rain water and sends it down to the water tank.

Sky Lights: Eaves: Eaves are the overhang of the edge of the roof. They prevent rain from damaging

the windows as well as keeping the sun from view in summer. Long-lasting Plants: These plants are long-lasting and require very little nurturing. They

provide oxygen and take up no room. Skylight: There are three of these skylights which admit sunlight. They saves

turning the lights on. Insulation: In the roof there is Loose-fill insulation. Insulation stops warm air

escaping the house and cold air from penetrating the house.

Roof Link

Energy-saving appliances Inside the house there are many energy-saving appliances. These

appliances save lots of energy and are cheaper to run. Some of the appliances are:

Absorption refrigerator- This refrigerator uses gas or propane as their primary source of energy, instead of electricity. They use heat (burning propane) to produce cold inside the refrigerator.

Energy saving light bulbs- These light-bulbs are more energy efficient then normal ones. They cost approximately the same and can last up to five times longer.

Double-glazes window-This windows by sticking to two panels of glass together, this makes them more thicker which keeps heat out. Also, a mirror-like glass can be placed on the outside of the window causing the sun to bounce off.

Font-load washing machine- Front-load washing machines uses gravity to spin the clothes, whilst a Top-load washing machine uses a motor. A Font- load washing machine can also fit up to 30% more clothes in one wash. It also uses about two-thirds less water then a top load washing machine.

More Energy-saving appliances

Louvers- Louvers a vertical slats on windows, blinds or shutters that are angled to admit light and air but to keep out rain, direct sunshine and noise. The angle of the slats may be adjustable. They prevent you from turning on air-conditioning or heating.

Stand-by mode: When not using appliances always turn them off at the power point. When one just switches turn it off the appliance goes to stand-by. This uses lots of energy, especially when going on holidays.

Dual flush toilets- A dual-flush toilet uses two buttons to flush different levels of water. They can save up to 70% of water usage.

Water-saving shower heads- These shower heads use up to 60% less water in the same amount of time as other shower heads.

Heating and CoolingThere are may different types of ways of efficiently heating and cooling a house.

Heat recovery ventilation- This works by using separate blowers to move incoming fresh air and outdoing stale air without mixing the pair. It works somewhat similar to a car radiator. This method can recover up to 80% of warm air. Not only is this convenient, it uses less energy and is cheaper to run.

Geo-thermal energy: Geo-thermal energy is by far the most efficient and cheapest way of heating and cooling houses. The ground beneath our feet stays warm in winter and cooler in summer. Geothermal systems use this phenomenon to heat homes when it’s cold and cool them down when it’s hot. It is extremely efficient and emits virtually no greenhouse gases.

Solar air conditioning- These work by using the sun’s rays to cool the house down, similar to solar panels when making electricity from the sun. These are moderately efficient when it comes to cooling houses down.

In my house design I have chosen to use Geo-thermal energy. This source is reliable and energy efficient. It costs approximately 2.96c per hour. Unfortunately, Geothermal energy installation is somewhat costly.

GardenThe garden I have designed is environmentally-friendly in many ways. It consists

of: Grey water system- Water in the water tank is used as grey water. It is applied

in the bathroom and garden. As well as this part of it is filtered and used in the swimming pool. This makes the swimming pool environmentally-friendly.

Worm farm- Instead of throwing food scraps away and destroying the environment they are given to worms.

Plants- There are many trees and plants in the garden to accumulate more oxygen for society.

Compost- Part of the food scraps go to the Worm farm and the other part go into the compost, where they are broken down in the soil.

Vegetable patch- A large assortment of veggies are grown here. This saves one a substantial amount of money when buying from shops.

The garden may seem to make a small difference, but it does also save energy and conserve the environment.

Other Features Swimming pool- The swimming pool is environmentally friendly

because it uses filtered water from the water tank. The pool is optional, as it uses a small amount of energy, but a bit of recreation is also needed.

Water tank- The water tank I have chosen to include is a 7000L metal tank. Water tanks saves you a colossal amount of money. They are reasonably inexpensive and serve for a long time without failure.

I have also chosen include two 2000 litre Bladder tanks. Bladder tanks are similar to water tanks but made of a flexible material. They are placed under the house or deck to save space.

Fencing- The fence is made of recycled wood and costs approximately 70% cheaper then other fences.

Costs and SavingsIn conclusion it worth making an environmentally-friendly house. It does

not only save the environment, it also saves your money. It can be more convenient, and once again saves an immense amount of money. Below are the prices:

Water- save up to $400 per year and a minimum of 10 000 litre of water.

Power- saves three tonnes of burning coal per year, reduce pollution by six tonnes and save around $800 annually.

Waste-prevent 50 000 litres of waste entering the ocean.

In total one saves around $1500 annually on bills.

THE END

Thank you for watching, I hope you enjoyed it. I also hope I have encouraged you to build an environmentally friendly house.

By Benjamin Bolshinsky 8.7