Today, design architecture and alternate energy sources in an eco friendly construction and design can bring us into a cleaner world. Using altenative design including low-energy building materials, ground source heat pumps, solar photovoltaics and hot water systems, small-scale wind systems, and perhaps hydro power both home and business owners could operate from a more renewable design and reduce energy bills, perhaps earn money back from the grid.
- Low Energy Building Materials
- Geo Thermal - Ground Source
- Solar Building Alternatives
- Wind Electric Energy
- Hydro Energy Sytems
Low Energy Building Materials:
There are many options for building alternatively that could be a long time energy saver.
- Adobe
- Cob
- Strawbale
- Cordwood
- Bamboo
- Earth Ship
- Papercrete
- Rock
- Insulated Concrete Forms
- Autoclaved Aerated Concrete
- Earth Blocks
- Envirobricks
- Monolythic Domes
Ground Source Heating and Cooling
Tap into the Earth's natural heating and cooling resources The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have both endorsed ground source heat pump systems as among the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly heating, cooling, and water heating systems available.
In the winter, the collects the heat from the earth and brings it into the building,while in the summer it reverses pulling heat from the building, carrying it through the system and placing it in the ground. Heating and cooling of air and water is one of the biggest energy expenses that a house or commercial building has, so why not take advantage.
Geo Thermal Benefits
- Some up to 50% on your water-heating bill by preheating tank water
- Can cut energy consumption by 20 to 50% and reduce maintenance costs
- Maintain a more consistent temperature up to (90 -105 F) throughout the home in the winter.
- Heating efficiencies 50 to 70% higher than other heating systems and cooling efficiencies 20 to 40% higher than available air conditioners
- Save money in operating and maintenance costs
- Investments recouped in only a few years
As illustrated above for the summer months, the heat from the house is being dissapatted into the earth thereby cooling the house. The earth maintains a constant temperature of about 60 degrees below the frost line which makes this type of system possible.
In the winter, just the opposite effect happens. The cold air is dissapated into the ground system and the warm air is brought in.
Much like the systems for air, the geo thermal system for water can provide both heat and cooling with a savings of up to 50% on your water heating bill.
Solar Energy and Photovoltaics Electric
Imagine, the worlds purest form of renewable energy, a world that gets its power from the sun. The question is, "Is Solar Energy a viable source for electric power?". At a nominal 100 watts an hour in full sun per square foot, solar energy could be the choice for the future if only the startup costs lower in price.
The sun is the most powerful energy we have, but capturing the energy requires upfront costs. Current pricing models suggest that it takes 22 - 32 years to recoup your investement; however, if you figure this in with your mortgage you will be saving money while doing your part on the environment.
There has got to be a cheaper alternative!
Electric From Wind Energy
Getting power from the wind is the cleanest most environmentally friendly energy sources in the world. Because wind is renewable and supply will never run out it will ensure the demand that we require while ridding our dependence on foreign oil and use destructive energys at home.
With wind energy, puts the power and money in everyones hands including you and the energy companies. Anyone with land can create their own wind farm and offset their electric bill and sell excess back to the power companies.
Wind energy has proved to be our best choice in fighting global warming and pollution. Over the last couple of years alternative energy companies have been choosing wind over every other choice as to protect the environment : air, land, and water. In fact, one single megawatt turbine offsets 8.6 tons of sulfur dioxide, 4 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions, 1,800 tons of carbon dioxide and each year. And thats not even calculating the amount of mercury that is put into the environment.
- Using more wind energy can save water in the arid western U.S. To generate the same amount of electricity as a single 1-MW wind turbine using either fossil fuels or nuclear power requires, on average, withdrawing roughly 60 million gallons of water a year from streams or rivers, of which nearly 1 million gallons is lost to evaporation.
- Energy policy is all about choices. Less wind energy means more of something else – almost certainly something that is more damaging to the environment
Wind Energy Is The Best Solution For Energy!
- Because wind power and energy is inexhaustable the United States can rid itself of oil dependence, clean the environment, create jobs at home, and lower the costs of energy production.
- Wind energy will not flucate as it is stable, unlike oil which is more entirely controlled by OPEC. (Isn't it odd how their seems to be a direct correlation with the price of OIL and the amount of time US Forces remain in IRAQ and Afganistan.)
- Forty-six of the fifty states contain wind resources suitable for commercial development.
- The U.S. currently burns about 13 Bcf/day for electricity generation, which means during 2007, wind power will be reducing natural gas use for power generation by
approximately 5%.
Wind energy works! because it creates jobs and increases local tax revenues
- One major study has estimated that boosting wind energy to just 3% of U.S. electricity supply would create 150,000 manufacturing jobs, most of them in states that have been major losers of jobs in recent years.
- Each megawatt of wind provides 2.3-3 job-years of employment.
Wind Energy : Earning An Income From Your Land
Are you a landowner that has plenty of room, 16 mph high on average winds, a flat clear area of around 5 square miles? If you answered yes, then you could be a wind farmer. Best wind farm areas are set on a plateau with little tree and brush interference. If you are interested in getting a wind farm put on your property to earn money, based on Minnesota and Northern Iowa leases, landowners stand to profit anywhere from $2000 to $4000 per turbine which typically represent 2 to 4% of the annual gross revenue.
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