Wadestown Solar Home

listed by k8wills

Price 

These are all very lovely homes, but what about joe blogs. We don't have 500K -1m to spend on a house.
How are 'we' going to ever get into a house such as this that will adequately serve the needs of an average family on average wages? I would like to see a site set up. that would give some designs and prices, so it would be possible to actually see if something that is so called 'eco friendly' could be built, but on a budget that is realistic.

Re: Price 

>> carrying convected heat to a basement "rock bin"

Trouble with this setup is the rocks eventually get damp and grow mould, which then get blown into the house.... no thanks, there are better options.

Re: damp rocks 

? how do the rocks get damp is the basement is suitably constructed with water proof membranes and there is a constant flow of hot air from inside the house blowing over them?

regards
Russell

Re: damp rocks 

Because the flow of air is not constant, eg in the middle of winter where is the warm dry air going to come from, thus in these periods moisture will condense and accumulate on them, promoting mould growth. A few of the solar design books I have advise against this method of energy storage because of this.

Mike

Re: Price 

In reply to the first comment - I would ask back: "What is a budget that is realistic?"

I think the great things about homes like this is that us as builders and homeowners can cherry-pick those features that we would like in our homes.

No-one is saying all of these features need to be deployed in a single project.

For example, our budget is 350k. For that we will be getting 150sqm, 3 beds etc but the single "Eco" option (if you want to call it that) is our central heating system. The whole house has been designed around this one thing. You can read about the system in some of my forum posts and its nothing that fantastic, a cooking woodburner + Solar collector and a heat store and some radiators.

I don't think "Eco Houses" (I do hate that term, these are all features of "Standard Houses") need to have anything particularly high tech in them and apart from the standard solar controller, that's exactly what ours is - pretty low tech but hopefully hi-effect.

Cheers.

Re: Price 

I know your post is ancient, but I'm only embarking on the road to find out more to build our house. Did you get any advice, help to your comment on realistic budgets? Would very much appreciate if you could share your learning curve!

Re: Price 

Hi Spluzie - if you were asking after me (phptek) check out my "Eco House" here on EcoBob (punch in "Kapiti" into the Eco House search) and you'll spot it.

Otherwise, visit me http://www.theruss.com/blog. It's updated weekly (sometimes daily) with our progress, pitfalls, etc complete with an archive list of links to previous posts down the right-hand side.

Feel free to contact me via the contact form. Keen to share any of our experiences :-)

If it wasn't me you were asking for - no worries, check me out anyway :-)

Cheers
Russ

Re: Price 

The above link doesn't work as there is a full stop in it. Try: http://www.theruss.com/blog/

Regards

Ecobob