Green Houses?

The term “greenhouse” has taken on a whole new meaning in the last year or two. Ever since the big gas increases, people have been industriously finding ways to save on fuel. The fuel issue has made people reconsider other aspects of their lives- how else they can save money on the resources they use. As a result, many people are creating new ways, or using old ones, to save money on their household expenses and building “greenhouses” to conserve energy, prevent pollution and waste, and generally save money down the road.

Many of these techniques are “old” in the respect that we’ve been down this path before. Most of us recall the energy crisis in the 70s. This is a fantastic opportunity for many people who are out of a manufacturing job to invent something or take advantage of an existing invention (e.g. Biodiesel) and create a new job. But I digress.

There were a few tricks in the 70s that were blown off and have now resurfaced as a viable way to save energy, keep the air clean, save money, or just plain get off “the grid.” One way is windmills. These can be as simple as a 3’ diameter span to help run your clothes dryer. Something this small would not be able to run your entire house but it could help with some of the bills. Another system that was cost prohibitive in the past is solar energy. Again, one array may not take the whole house off the grid, but it could at least contribute to saving money and the environment. They may not be cheap now, but I would imagine that finally we have come to understand that we need to do something and I would presume the cost could come down if enough people demand the product.

What Steve is incorporating into his houses is sealed crawlspaces. This is different from regular vented crawlspaces in a couple different ways. First, the lack of vents on the walls of the crawlspace prevents moisture from the outside air from getting into the crawlspace, creating condensation, and, potentially, mold. Second, the crawlspace temperature is incorporated into the main part of the house by creating a vent leading from the house to the crawlspace. This way, the humidity can be regulated simultaneously with your humidity in the home.

You can view more ideas on the following website.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/