After some months of bureaucratic processing and as soon as the land dries out a bit we will start the construction of our 100kw photovoltaic plant. This is a ground based project, a good contribution to clean and safe energy. The thing that is really interesting about this is that it is such a good investment. Briefly it will have an internal rate of return of around 21% over a 20 to 30 year life span, when done on land already owned. And the income is guaranteed by the Italian government and ENEL a large European power company. A big portion of the income comes from incentives. There is a positive cash flow from day one and the initial investment will be paid back in around four years. The incentive is for 20 years and the life of the panels is around 30 years or more. So power can be sold even after the incentive ends. This also based upon 30% equity and a loan for 15 years.
Our role in all of this has been to be the architects of the project for clients who are family members. We will manage the plant over its lifespan, assuming ours is the same. Through this process we have become pretty much experts in the overall picture. We have done the paper work, the overall plans, the hiring of the contractor/supplier, and the electrical engineer. Now we will oversee the construction.
We now know that this is a good opportunity as an investment, but at the same time it is not so easy to implement. We realize that our knowledge could be of use to others and though it is not exactly architecture it is the kind of service that we could offer as architects based upon our own experience not just in this project but in all phases of dealing with government agencies and taking something from the idea to the final construction. This after all what we do as architects. So contact us if you any interest in such a project anywhere in Italy.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, October 23, 2009
Passive Solar Heating and Cooling
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING & COOLING
and energy saving ideas.
By John Helm
These days all the talk is about saving energy and there are a lot of new as well as old systems to take advantage of the sun for heating and even cooling. Since my years in university I have been aware and have studied the various ways to take advantage of this free source of energy. The problem is that while the suns energy is there to be taken and used for free, the actual ways that we collect it and turn it into a form which is useable are generally not free and sometimes very expensive.
Over the years I have made many proposals to my architectural clients to implement various ideas into their projects. For the most part when the costs came in they resorted to the time tested and much less expensive standard forms of heating and cooling. The initial cost of the equipment can take many years to pay for itself and in the US at least where people tend to move often they don’t consider it a wise investment.
Therefore, in this short article I will restrict my comments to the things that we can do in our existing homes that require little or no costs and then I will discuss a few things we can do in our new homes to maximize the collection of the sun’s energy for heating and turn that around for cooling.
Existing Homes
We will start this little journey at the front door. Do you know that just putting a good door mat outside and a rug inside the exterior doors can save energy? Yes it can. Approximately 80% of the dirt we bring into our homes comes from our shoes. So just cleaning them before entering saves the extra time we would have to use the vacuum cleaner. Taking off the shoes and putting on house shoes or slippers will save even more.
Now I’m going to tell you some things you probably already know but I bet you don’t do them. Since I said no extra expense, I will stick to the things we can do just to maximize heating or cooling and minimize heat gain or loss without spending any money. The windows are generally the major tool here. They represent a hole in our walls when it comes to energy gain and loss. So they need to be managed. Assume you have curtains and better yet shutters that open and close. In the morning when the sun is out in the winter, open the south facing curtains or shutters while keeping the windows closed to let in the solar energy and open the doors of those rooms to the rest of the house. Keep the others closed until the outside air temperature warms up or you just can’t stand having them closed. As the sun passes reverse the process. At night shutter everything up.
If you have a fireplace, close the flue when you are not using it. Heat rises the open flue sucks the heat right out. On the subject of heat rising remember that it will rise to the upper floors on a two story house. If those floors contain the bedrooms, close the door leading to the stairs if you have them during the day or if no stair doors close the bedroom doors. There is no need to heat rooms not in use.
In the summer we reverse the above. Keep the south facing windows shuttered. Open the flue and open second floor windows that don’t face south.
Also keep in mind that hard surfaces such as tile and concrete absorb heat. This function can be used in winter and summer. If you have a tile floor for example expose it to the sun in the winter it will heat up a radiate the heat back out in the evening. In the summer protect it from the sun; you might even cover it with a rug but only in the summer. In the summer we can open all the windows in the night to cool the house and then promptly close them in the morning.
New Homes and Remodels
The most cost affective way to minimize energy use in new homes, when we remodel or make additions is to use the things we would build anyway in a way that is energy use conscious and does not add any or little to the cost. As before we start with windows for natural light north facing windows are great but that’s the worst location for heat loss or gain. They don’t see the sun. So it’s best to minimize them unless we are building an artists studio or they face a beautiful view. South facing windows are the one’s we want with hard surface floors facing them and concrete walls inside the house to absorb the heat to be radiated out in the evening. Skylights that can be opened bring in natural light and when opened in the summer allow the heat to rise out of the house.
Those big south facing windows are great in the winter as long as the sun is out; they are not so great when it’s not. So we should make some provision to cover them and of course they should be double glazed as should all the windows, even triple glazed in harsh climates. And what do you do about them in the summer? In the summer they must be shaded. This can be done several ways. We can shutter them, put up louvers or roll up awnings. Permanently shading them will eliminate their use for heating in the winter so don’t do that. One way we all know is to plant deciduous trees near them. Those trees will shade them in the summer and allow the sun to shine in during the winter as well as provide a nice appearance in the view and the yard.
Fireplaces can be a good source of heat if properly designed using outside air for combustion and some form of providing circulation of the heat generated. Glass doors allow radiant heat to pass while minimize the amount of heated inside air that rises up the flue. In the summer open the glass doors and the flue to allow the heat to flow out. Fans can be placed in the attic at little expense to draw out additional heat.
Let’s also not forget insulation, perhaps the very most important addition. Blanket insulation made of fiberglass is the least costly and in fact adds little to the overall cost. If one objects to the glass fiber there are also natural products made of wood and recycled cotton. Increasing the thickness of walls in wood frame construction allows increased insulation but at added cost though not that much in the overall picture. Another item to consider is using one of the modern house wrap products instead of the conventional tar paper. They seal the walls, but allow moisture to pass from the inside to the outside.
Finally let’s not forget the lighting. Windows, skylights and solar tubes can minimize the amount of lighting we need to turn on during the day. Proper placing of lighting for general purpose lighting as well as task lighting is important to minimize electrical usage. The use of fluorescent light wherever possible can reduce energy use by 2/3rds and as they become less expensive LED lights will bring consumption down even more.
So I have just touched a bit on the overall subject perhaps you, your architect and your contractor will be encouraged to use these ideas and think of more on your own.
Copyright 2009 by John Helm may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author.
and energy saving ideas.
By John Helm
These days all the talk is about saving energy and there are a lot of new as well as old systems to take advantage of the sun for heating and even cooling. Since my years in university I have been aware and have studied the various ways to take advantage of this free source of energy. The problem is that while the suns energy is there to be taken and used for free, the actual ways that we collect it and turn it into a form which is useable are generally not free and sometimes very expensive.
Over the years I have made many proposals to my architectural clients to implement various ideas into their projects. For the most part when the costs came in they resorted to the time tested and much less expensive standard forms of heating and cooling. The initial cost of the equipment can take many years to pay for itself and in the US at least where people tend to move often they don’t consider it a wise investment.
Therefore, in this short article I will restrict my comments to the things that we can do in our existing homes that require little or no costs and then I will discuss a few things we can do in our new homes to maximize the collection of the sun’s energy for heating and turn that around for cooling.
Existing Homes
We will start this little journey at the front door. Do you know that just putting a good door mat outside and a rug inside the exterior doors can save energy? Yes it can. Approximately 80% of the dirt we bring into our homes comes from our shoes. So just cleaning them before entering saves the extra time we would have to use the vacuum cleaner. Taking off the shoes and putting on house shoes or slippers will save even more.
Now I’m going to tell you some things you probably already know but I bet you don’t do them. Since I said no extra expense, I will stick to the things we can do just to maximize heating or cooling and minimize heat gain or loss without spending any money. The windows are generally the major tool here. They represent a hole in our walls when it comes to energy gain and loss. So they need to be managed. Assume you have curtains and better yet shutters that open and close. In the morning when the sun is out in the winter, open the south facing curtains or shutters while keeping the windows closed to let in the solar energy and open the doors of those rooms to the rest of the house. Keep the others closed until the outside air temperature warms up or you just can’t stand having them closed. As the sun passes reverse the process. At night shutter everything up.
If you have a fireplace, close the flue when you are not using it. Heat rises the open flue sucks the heat right out. On the subject of heat rising remember that it will rise to the upper floors on a two story house. If those floors contain the bedrooms, close the door leading to the stairs if you have them during the day or if no stair doors close the bedroom doors. There is no need to heat rooms not in use.
In the summer we reverse the above. Keep the south facing windows shuttered. Open the flue and open second floor windows that don’t face south.
Also keep in mind that hard surfaces such as tile and concrete absorb heat. This function can be used in winter and summer. If you have a tile floor for example expose it to the sun in the winter it will heat up a radiate the heat back out in the evening. In the summer protect it from the sun; you might even cover it with a rug but only in the summer. In the summer we can open all the windows in the night to cool the house and then promptly close them in the morning.
New Homes and Remodels
The most cost affective way to minimize energy use in new homes, when we remodel or make additions is to use the things we would build anyway in a way that is energy use conscious and does not add any or little to the cost. As before we start with windows for natural light north facing windows are great but that’s the worst location for heat loss or gain. They don’t see the sun. So it’s best to minimize them unless we are building an artists studio or they face a beautiful view. South facing windows are the one’s we want with hard surface floors facing them and concrete walls inside the house to absorb the heat to be radiated out in the evening. Skylights that can be opened bring in natural light and when opened in the summer allow the heat to rise out of the house.
Those big south facing windows are great in the winter as long as the sun is out; they are not so great when it’s not. So we should make some provision to cover them and of course they should be double glazed as should all the windows, even triple glazed in harsh climates. And what do you do about them in the summer? In the summer they must be shaded. This can be done several ways. We can shutter them, put up louvers or roll up awnings. Permanently shading them will eliminate their use for heating in the winter so don’t do that. One way we all know is to plant deciduous trees near them. Those trees will shade them in the summer and allow the sun to shine in during the winter as well as provide a nice appearance in the view and the yard.
Fireplaces can be a good source of heat if properly designed using outside air for combustion and some form of providing circulation of the heat generated. Glass doors allow radiant heat to pass while minimize the amount of heated inside air that rises up the flue. In the summer open the glass doors and the flue to allow the heat to flow out. Fans can be placed in the attic at little expense to draw out additional heat.
Let’s also not forget insulation, perhaps the very most important addition. Blanket insulation made of fiberglass is the least costly and in fact adds little to the overall cost. If one objects to the glass fiber there are also natural products made of wood and recycled cotton. Increasing the thickness of walls in wood frame construction allows increased insulation but at added cost though not that much in the overall picture. Another item to consider is using one of the modern house wrap products instead of the conventional tar paper. They seal the walls, but allow moisture to pass from the inside to the outside.
Finally let’s not forget the lighting. Windows, skylights and solar tubes can minimize the amount of lighting we need to turn on during the day. Proper placing of lighting for general purpose lighting as well as task lighting is important to minimize electrical usage. The use of fluorescent light wherever possible can reduce energy use by 2/3rds and as they become less expensive LED lights will bring consumption down even more.
So I have just touched a bit on the overall subject perhaps you, your architect and your contractor will be encouraged to use these ideas and think of more on your own.
Copyright 2009 by John Helm may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Adding space to or remodeling your home.
Room additions are a very poplar way to increase the size and value one’s home in the
First let’s think about the value of a home. Homes are typically priced based upon their size, the quality of construction, finish materials, number of bathrooms, size of the kitchen, and often most importantly the location. But size in any location is the final determining factor. When adding on sometimes the prime consideration is the cost of the new space. An advantage in this area is that the new space can be a type of space that adds substantially to the size and therefore the value of the home while at the same time being the least expensive space to build. Let me explain, the most expensive spaces one can add are bathrooms and kitchens, any thing involving plumbing and household appliances. So it fallows that if
Of course there are many other factors influencing one’s desire to remodel or add space, not the least of which would be the desire to have a nicer bigger kitchen, or perhaps a beautiful master bathroom. These items when one considers value do not generally give a full payback when one sells the home, but of course they do make it much easier to sell at full market value.
What are some of the additions that people tend to make to their homes. I will talk about a few of them. As in the above example simple spaces can be added to make
Finally we can talk about the idea of adding a separate or semi separate apartment. These can take many forms. Perhaps one is just anther bedroom with a space for a small kitchen unit and a bath room. It could be a space where an elderly relative can be independent but still living within the main family home. Or one can add an apartment that is totally separate, maybe above the garage or in the back yard. Of course this apartment would have a multitude of potential uses, form being a work studio, to a rental unit or an apartment for an adult child or grandparents.
In the
To make
Making
There can also be a big overlap in the area of energy consumption. When artificial lighting is improved the light fixtures used can be those that consume less. If windows are added or increased in size they might also reduce the need for artificial light during the day and they might also contribute to passive solar gain for heating purposes. Adding shutters to the exterior of windows can reduce the energy loss through the windows if the shutters are functional and closed, particularly during the night. Replacing carpet with tile can provide an energy storage base. High density materials like tile and concrete absorb heat and radiate it back during cool periods. Windows placed in an area where sunlight can heat the tile during the day makes this work. Shading devices over windows and exterior walls that can be adjusted or operate naturally during hot months can save on cooling costs or just help in providing a cooler interior. Landscaping functions here as well. Deciduous trees provide shade in the Summer and let the sun shine in during the Winter, if placed in front of South and West facing walls. Then there is of course the option of adding insulation. It’s most easily done in attic areas but can also be added to walls.
Finally one might wonder how does one accomplish any of the above changes and who should one ask for help. The simple solution is to hire a competent architect. One might think well I don’t really need an architect to do most of the above. I could just hire a contractor who will do the work or an interior designer, or maybe just go to a cabinet company to design my new kitchen or bathroom. There are two major reasons why the architect is the best source for all of this. The first is that the architect works for the client and only has his best interest at heart, he or she is not trying to sell anything other than services to the client. Sometimes the interior designer can fill this role but here often the designer is making his money by selling stuff, furniture, flooring, etc. and therefore profits most by selling lots of stuff. The other reason for hiring an architect is that the architect is trained by schooling and experience to be the most qualified person to see the overall picture. That is what architects do. They understand, planning, traffic flow – how spaces are used and connect to each other, construction, uses and functions of materials, peoples needs and desires for their living and working spaces, and they have a general understanding of mechanics, heating cooling, electrical, appliances, lighting, solar energy, etc. In general the architect is the one who can put all the pieces together. The architect may not do all of this himself, but he or she, knows enough about to be able to know when another expert, consultant, contractor or designer is needed and can coordinate all of their efforts.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Good Design
Il Serchio,
As an architect I just can’t resist writing about this. This last Monday night we stayed at Il Serchio a camper site in Lucca Italy. At first glance the concept of the place seems great and it looks new and clean. It’s dedicated to campers, has electrical and water hookups at each site, free wifi internet, showers, laundry and dumping station. The price is very reasonable at 18 euro per night and it’s pretty close to the old town center. We rode our bikes into town the first afternoon then the next morning took a nice bike ride along the river bank just up a little hill from the camp.
But it’s one of the best examples of poor design I’ve seen in a while. It’s probably one of those cases where the owner’s didn’t think the services of a good designer was worth the cost of hiring one. The parking spaces for the campers are too short being more the size for a car so the camper sticks out into the road/drive area, it’s a big wide gravel drive with tiny short green spaces for the campers. They put the baths at the farthest corner rather than centrally located, the internet connection is intermittent, goes off and on, and can really only be accessed if one parks closet to the entry. The showers seem like they were designed by someone who never took a shower in a camp of any kind. They are directly across from the toilets, there is no dressing area or place to put ones clothes, turn on the shower and water sprays out into the hall area as the heads are fixed and there is no door just a curtain half of which were torn. The water stays on for something like 30 seconds then has to be started again. It was dark when my son and I went to take a shower and the lights also on timers went off 3 times causing me to have to go into the sink area naked, wet and cold to turn them back on, of course this area was also exposed to the outside through large uncovered windows. Finally, they have a nice dump area for grey and black water. But it’s right in front of the entry to the men’s bath area. In fact the black dump tank (that’s the stuff from the toilet) is right on the walk to the bath so one has to walk across the area where people dump their toilets on the way to take a shower.
As I said above the concept is great, a simple campsite dedicated to the needs of campers/motor homes, with just the things they need and nothing more at a good price in a good location. It’s just too bad it couldn’t have been designed properly.
As an architect I just can’t resist writing about this. This last Monday night we stayed at Il Serchio a camper site in Lucca Italy. At first glance the concept of the place seems great and it looks new and clean. It’s dedicated to campers, has electrical and water hookups at each site, free wifi internet, showers, laundry and dumping station. The price is very reasonable at 18 euro per night and it’s pretty close to the old town center. We rode our bikes into town the first afternoon then the next morning took a nice bike ride along the river bank just up a little hill from the camp.
But it’s one of the best examples of poor design I’ve seen in a while. It’s probably one of those cases where the owner’s didn’t think the services of a good designer was worth the cost of hiring one. The parking spaces for the campers are too short being more the size for a car so the camper sticks out into the road/drive area, it’s a big wide gravel drive with tiny short green spaces for the campers. They put the baths at the farthest corner rather than centrally located, the internet connection is intermittent, goes off and on, and can really only be accessed if one parks closet to the entry. The showers seem like they were designed by someone who never took a shower in a camp of any kind. They are directly across from the toilets, there is no dressing area or place to put ones clothes, turn on the shower and water sprays out into the hall area as the heads are fixed and there is no door just a curtain half of which were torn. The water stays on for something like 30 seconds then has to be started again. It was dark when my son and I went to take a shower and the lights also on timers went off 3 times causing me to have to go into the sink area naked, wet and cold to turn them back on, of course this area was also exposed to the outside through large uncovered windows. Finally, they have a nice dump area for grey and black water. But it’s right in front of the entry to the men’s bath area. In fact the black dump tank (that’s the stuff from the toilet) is right on the walk to the bath so one has to walk across the area where people dump their toilets on the way to take a shower.
As I said above the concept is great, a simple campsite dedicated to the needs of campers/motor homes, with just the things they need and nothing more at a good price in a good location. It’s just too bad it couldn’t have been designed properly.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Architects ready to help
I don't post here often as the main intent was to let people know we are available to help with projects big and small and to answer questions about design, architecture, construction, etc. That is what I have done in previous posts. So this is just a reminder.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Straw Bale Homes
We are doing our first straw bale home, but it's not the first for our associate Juergen, he has designed many. What is it, well, yes the walls are actually made of bales of hay. The real structure is a wood frame with prefabricated shear walls in steel and wood. The bales are a sort of infill wall. The advantage is great insulation, a natural renewable building product and a product that can be installed by unskilled labor. The walls are finished with cement plaster inside and out.
Have a look at this 3D model.
Have a look at this 3D model.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Online Architect
We offer architectural services online. It may sound strange to work with an architect that you can't meet face to face, but it is possible. The internet and the many graphic tools available now allow for great communication. And we have free phone service to most of the world along with email, and the possibility of video conferencing.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Friday, July 06, 2007
Big projects - Big houses - Commercial Centers
Yes of course we can do them, have done them. If the projects big enough we will come to you or come to Italy where we are most of the time and spend a week of intensive design work say in the morning while touring the Dolomites in the afternoon.
Do you have a really big project? We also work with other much larger firms in the US and Italy and can coordinate the work between countries and languages. We have the American attitude towards getting the job done in a functional and cost effective way while including the Italian flare for good design.
Do you have a really big project? We also work with other much larger firms in the US and Italy and can coordinate the work between countries and languages. We have the American attitude towards getting the job done in a functional and cost effective way while including the Italian flare for good design.
House Plans Online
At this time you won't find house plan samples here. What we offer are custom plans to fit your needs all done by communicating over the internet, and personal meetings if your project is in So. California or Italy. Send a sketch, a picture, or a plan from a book, or just a list of the things you want and we will prepare an estimate of the cost of our work. Generally if we do the plans this way the total cost to you will not be more than you would spend buying ready made plans online then paying someone to bring them up to local codes. With over 30 years experience in designing homes there isn't much we haven't done so it's very easy for us to understand what you want and make your ideas a workable reality.
Currently we are working on projects in California, Canada, Mexico and Italy, so location is not a problem. We use a voice over the internet (voip) phone system so we can be reached by our California phone number wherever we are and there is not extra cost to you.
Currently we are working on projects in California, Canada, Mexico and Italy, so location is not a problem. We use a voice over the internet (voip) phone system so we can be reached by our California phone number wherever we are and there is not extra cost to you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)