Generation Solar Renewable Energy Systems

The folks at The Last Straw Journal have kindly allowed us to reprint their editorial of Issue #48 which covers a wide variety of considerations when planning a sustainable housing project...

Towards a 'Whole Building' Approach

Straw bale homes are very photogenic, and have become the "super models" of the sustainable building world. But for anybody trying to build a truly sustainable structure, the systems that are hidden behind those thick plastered walls are what will make or break the actual performance levels of the building. Many straw bale homes are little more than pretty walls wrapped around completely conventional structural and mechanical systems. While these buildings may make some modest savings in energy usage due to the insulation value of their walls, the path to better buildings must include a comprehensive plan for all of the required mechanical systems.

Learning to build bale walls is what captures the imaginations of most potential builders, and it is a breeze compared to wading through all the options for different mechanical systems in the home. By the time one has looked into water collection and treatment, waste recycling and disposal, electrical generation and distribution and heating, cooling and ventilation, it is easy to get confused and overwhlemed. For this reason, the "standard" options are often employed simply because they are the easiest to access and verify. But very rarely is the standard option the best choice; those standards have developed with little or no regard for optimum efficiency, resource conservation and environmental health.

Owner-builders typically have a very steep learning curve when tackling mechanical systems, but many professional builders are similarly under-educated on many of the available options. It takes time, effort and often some extra money to adequately inform yourself about the best systems for your building. But you will be rewarded with benefits that are financial, environmental and health-related if you choose and properly install the right kinds of systems.

One of the major difficulties faced by owners and builders alike is the emerging nature of many of the available options. It is only in the past decade that serious commercial efforts have begun to support sustainable systems. This means there has been little time for systems to be fully developed, tested and refined. Results can vary wildly for these reasons, and the marketplace abounds with both fantastic claims and stories of failures and disappointments. Often there will be conflicting advice and opinions about the exact same system, and examples where it has worked brilliantly and others where it didn’t really work at all.

My own experiences in working with a wide variety of "experimental" systems has helped me to develop some basic guidelines for approaching new technologies:

If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. Anybody that sells their idea or product as the perfect solution to all your problems is definitely overstating their case. No technology (even conventional or low tech options) comes without its own set of drawbacks. Find people who speak honestly about the limitations of their systems; they probably have something real to sell you.
Don’t trust a single opinion. There is always more than one way to approach a particular system. Get many opinions, and get the details that back up those opinions. If somebody is willing to show you a budget for a completed system and some performance figures from a real installation, then it’s worth listening. Try to find common elements between all the opinions you receive and find a system that walks that middle ground.
Put your trust in people, not machines. Any new system is likely to have quirks and hiccups. Don’t choose a particular system based just on its rated performance and mechanical features. Rather, choose sales people and installers you trust and feel comfortable with. Getting good ongoing help and service is more important than the actual equipment you buy, and is the best long-term investment.
It’s okay to disagree with the experts. Your own intuition, backed up by your own research, is as valuable as the opinions of experts. Don’t be talked into a system you don’t like just because somebody tells you to. As long as you have qualified reasons to be sceptical, follow your own path in designing and choosing systems and seek out the experts whose opinions converge with your own.
Have realistic expectations. Your systems must not only function, they must function within a lifestyle you’re willing to accept. Know ahead of time what the maintenance regimen will entail, and what limitations may be inherent in the system. The tasks we ask of most of our mechanical systems are very complex. This won’t come without costs, in money or your own time. In terms of both budget and performance, be aware that no system is perfect.
Make mechanical systems an integral part of your plans. The single biggest mistake I see in "green" home plans is the focus on structural elements (architecture and materials), with little or no regard for the mechanicals. Your design team needs to include the people who will design and/or install your mechanicals. It is well worth your money to pay the systems people to sit down together with yourself and the designer and figure out how best to make everything work together. Each system will have optimum placement in the building, and may work together if planned together from the start.
Be willing to pay for advice. Home builders are used to paying for materials and labor, but it’s always tough to write a cheque for advice. However, spending some money to get good advice - and ongoing technical support - is usually a wise investment. People who understand mechanical systems are usually keen to see good installations, and will help you do your own installations as long as there is some financial reward for them.
Be willing to accept limitations. Our extreme energy usage is largely due to our collective unwillingness to accept any limitations on our desires. We often forget that on-demand electricity, hot water and perfect temperature are not human needs, and that most of the world’s population for most of the world’s history has done just fine without, and so sustainable systems are too frequently installed alongside conventional "back-up" systems, meaning that twice as much energy is consumed to supply all the gear, and conventional fuels and byproducts are still part of the building’s operation. All this so that we might never have to limit our need for heat, hot water or electricity! Accept a system that forces you to live with less, and you’ll adjust your usage accordingly.
Try to keep it simple. As with building design, it is best to keep systems as small and simple as possible. While a certain amount of complexity is often inevitable, remember that passive systems have the most trouble-free lifespans; as you add more and more moving parts and little gadgets, you increase the need for maintenance and the possibility of breakdown. Systems designed to be integral to the building will minimize complexity.
Share what you learn and help others. The base of knowledge and experience regarding sustainable systems is still quite limited. As you gain both, be sure to pass along what you know. Monitor your systems and report to manufacturers and potential buyers both positive and negative feedback. Straw bale building has grown up quickly because owners and builders share their knowledge, and the same can happen with all aspects of sustainable building.

There is no "right" way to create a more ecologically sound building, but there is a right way to approach the exercise: with an open mind, curiosity, plenty of time and patience and a long-term commitment to doing your best to minimize your impact. Hopefully some of what you read in this issue will help lead you to good decisions in your own projects. But this is just a drop in the bucket, and it is remarkable the number of innovative technologies, of both the low and high variety, that exist to help you make a better building.

Chris Magwood is editor of The Last Straw Journal and the lead instructor for the new Sustainable Building Design and Construction program at Sir Sandford Fleming College in Ontario, Canada. Contact: TLSEditor@thelaststraw.org

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