Low Impact Houses - Alternative Materials & Techniques

image from A Low-Impact Woodland Home

There are some interesting things happening in terms of alternative building materials and techniques that show that a greener building can be even more attractive than one designed and built in currently accepted, standard ways. The Simondale house is a good example in that the builder employed straw bales, recycled and found wood, reciprocal wood roofing and lime plastering. And the house’s appearance is rather more charming than most homes with the added feature of having a low visual impact due to being dug into the surrounding hillside. Completed, it looks as though it has always been there, compared with the finished products of most standardly-built subdivisions. Nor does it lack for creature comforts: well-insulated, uses solar power for electricity, has running water and a beautiful view.

Alternative Housing Means Diversity

It might be more descriptive to refer to Low-Impact housing rather than Alternative. Low Impact also goes by Ecological, Factor Four, Green, Healthy, Low Emission, Passive, Zero Emission, etc. The main point is to lower the impact on the environment from site selection through the remainder of the house’s lifecycle. The finished home can take on any number of different looks depending on the building site and the combination of traditional and new technologies chosen for materials and construction.

Urban Low Impact

Paola Sassi is an architect in Wales who chose to showcase sustainability in her choice of building materials. As she put it in an article on the Homebuilding & Rennovation UK magazine site: “…I wanted to prove that it is possible to build a house in a city centre that is sustainable, comfortable and cheap to run.” Her design, situated among Victorian style houses in Cardiff features hemp as an insulator, veneered plywood interiors, triple glazed windows on one side and solar panels and has no heating system. Planning for the future and an eventual demolition, Sassi chose only materials that could be reused or recycled. The biggest learning curve for the contractors building the house was that a house without a heating system must be air tight and this required some do-overs during construction. In the end, though, the cost of maintaining her house is less than a quarter of what a standardly built house of the same size costs and it emits less than a quarter of a standard house’s CO2.

Choice of Materials

Depending on the chosen site, a host of alternative, low-impact materials and methods are available. Adobe is a historically used and still viable material. Bamboo is a sustainable material that’s being used in floors but has also served long and well for construction in tropical areas, though the result can be strikingly modern. Cob houses are built of earth and straw and have survived centuries. They require virtually no tools at all, since the buildings are literally sculpted by the builder. At first thought, cordwood wouldn’t seem to be that environmentally correct because of the use a large amount of wood. But the wood used is most often what is considered waste material and if a mortar other than cement could be used efficiently, cordwood building could be even more of an ecological choice than the rather art nouveau styles of lightweight concrete, which must still be produced by concrete plants where toxicity can be a concern for neighbors.

In most cases, the builder will probably choose to combine materials like adobe and cob to suit the site environment and make use of changes in technology and methodology that afford the best chance of success to make their vision a reality.

Strange Housing Materials

Some materials may not be the first things that come to mind when building a home, but here are some that have been tried anyway. In Australia, they’re looking at cardboard and in New Mexico an architect named Mike Reynolds is using rubber tires, dirt and aluminum cans. And aluminum cans is what one man used to replace the siding on his house, while another man went one step further to design an entire house out of aluminum.

Housing Materials of the Future

As sustainable materials building with an eye to complementing the environment rather than dominating it becomes more mainstream, we’re likely to see even more variety in the materials and methods available to builders. This trend is only likely to gain momentum as global warming and the scarcity of nonrenewable resources continue to make an impact. In the near future, building “green” may be such a standard that the term itself goes out of fashion. Like ridesharing, it’s an idea whose time is here.

Update on Alternative Fuels (Algae Oil)

Image by jurvetson via Flickr

A U.S. government funded study of algae for energy production began around the time of the last gas crisis, in 1978. Hydrogen as an alternative fuel source was the initial goal, but algae oil became the focus before the program was eliminated in 1996 so that the Department of Energy could compile and produce a finished report. Gasoline was three times cheaper then and the gas crisis was over. SUVs were a must-have for many people.

Cultivation of algae as an oil source has had its ups and downs, with hydrogen continuing to be the first thought of both government and business, but algae oil seems to be picking up interest again. And not just because of the volatility of the petroleum market.

Thirty years ago, more conservative investors may have balked at the idea of investing in algae farms – such notions were considered more the province of a sandal-and-granola crowd, not the button-down shirts on Wall St. In the present, many of the lifestyle interests of yesterday’s counterculture have become accepted in the mainstream. Entrepreneurs from the previous generation are now seasoned investors with a more favorable take on sustainable agriculture and alternative fuels.

A hitch in algae farming has always been that producing a gallon of algae oil is still not as cost-efficient as producing a gallon of petroleum. But algae grows extremely fast, can be turned into a liquid and doesn’t produce carbon dioxide which, in petroleum processing, is buried underground. For these reasons, its potential as a biofuel continues to attract investors like Bill Gates, who has put millions into Sapphire Energy of San Diego, to produce a commercially viable algae-based fuel. And stung by rising fuel costs, companies like Continental Airlines have partnered with biofuel companies to prove the viability of biofuel for jet use.

The combination of new technology, Boomer money, an acceptance of ideas previously discounted as “out there” and young, less buttoned-down entrepreneurs is revving up interest in biofuels, just in time to be seized upon by nations with less access to traditional fuels. A number of algae biofuel conferences are planned for this year, including two in September: a second Algae Biofuel conference will be held in India, which has explored several alternatives to petroleum, including cattle-driven electricity generators, and there will also be the National Algae Association conference in Houston, Texas.

It’s no longer a question of whether or not algae oil can replace petroleum-based diesel, but how long it will take before its use is cost-effective enough to – in conjunction with other alternative fuels – force a major shift in the fuel markets. Here at the 40th anniversary of the moon landings, it seems appropriate that another technology that once seemed lost in the realm of fantasy should be coming to reality as we watch.

And while we’re talking about watching, take a look below the post today – we’ve added a barrel counting widget from Chevron that lets you know how many barrels of oil have been consumed as you’ve been reading about algae oil production. Goes by pretty quick, doesn’t it?

Chevron also provides another widget that helps us see how energy saved can be energy found. Consider adding it to your own page to promote energy conservation. And remember that carpooling to work or conferences saves gasoline that can then be used for something more fun!

Speed Racer - Who Me?

Speed Racer poster via The Things I Don't Care About

Probably one of the hardest things we can do to reduce the amount of gasoline we use is to slow down.

When you have to be somewhere – like work or to meet someone – and time isn’t on your side, leaning a little more heavily on the accelerator pedal is a real temptation. Even more so, if someone else (your company, your parents) are buying the fuel. And we’re all guilty of it. We know we should plan a little better and leave a little earlier, but the time occasionally gets away from us and we try to make it up by going a little faster.

Two problems with that, though; one is that speeding can get to be a habit and the other is that it doesn’t really save you the time you think it does.

It’s Not Just About Speeding Tickets

It’s easy to guess why speeding is a bad habit. If you do it habitually, you’re more likely to get a ticket. But did you know you’re also more likely to be in an accident? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that speeding was known to be a factor in 1/3 of fatal accidents in 2006 (by the way, another good reason to give up your SUV is that 10% of people injured in an accident are in SUVs compared to 3% of passenger cars).

If you’re not a habitual speeder, don’t become one. Although it’s not as important as saving your life, speeding uses up fuel faster as does speeding up and then slowing down. Staying at a consistent speed saves you fuel and keeps you saner, while reducing the chances you’ll be part of next year’s accident statistics. And if you’re the optimistic kind who thinks accidents like that won’t happen to you, just remember that speeding tickets can be expensive to collect – in fines and in increased insurance costs.

But I’m Going to Be Late!

As for saving time – a long time ago, one of the government agencies put out a little film that pitted an aggressive driver against a nonaggressive driver leaving from the same place and arriving at the same destination. The aggressive driver drove faster than the limit, rolled through stop signs and took every advantage possible. The nonaggressive driver followed traffic laws and kept a consistent and legal speed. The aggressive driver arrived at the final destination about two minutes ahead of the other driver. Two minutes. Not much time saved considering what could have happened and how stressed out the driver was when he got where he was going. Like to check out how much time you save by speeding? Here’s a calculator.

There’s another thing about speeding: when you combine it with inattention or alcohol, the chances of a serious accident get bigger much faster.

By the way, if you don’t have far to go, consider walking or cycling. If you must take the car, consider ridesharing. You won't get there faster but you may make a new friend and you'll certainly decrease the cost of getting there.

You Call This Fuel?

Image from EcoTimes

Someday, the local electricity plant may generate tourism as much as power – if your plant kept a pet tornado in a pool out back, wouldn’t you want a look?

It seems likely that rather than depend on one type of fuel, future needs for electricity and motive power will probably be met through a diverse range of alternative fuel sources, and some of them may not be the ones you’re most familiar with.

Entrepreneurs around the world are seeking to use new technology to more efficiently produce power from sources like the wind or even rendered animal fats, but there is also a great deal of innovation using sources previously unconsidered.

Of course, there will be biofuels like those derived from corn. But what about other plant sources like algae, which can be grown in pools in larger quantities faster than corn? Or how about cattails? Then there are cocoanuts, candlenuts, copaiba, and prairie plants.

You know about wind power, but how about wave power or kite power? And what about animal power? Taking a page from history, a village in India is harnessing cows to a gearbox driven generator to create electricity more cheaply than it would cost them for a windmill or solar power. The biggest drawback is what to do for electricity when the cows are needed for plowing fields a few months a year.

The best ideas may be those that eliminate a problem while providing a new fuel source. Sweden has very tough alcohol importation laws and is converting the confiscated booze into bio-gas for use in public transportation like buses. And a company in Canada is experimenting with creating diesel from used diapers!

Of course, the real question in relation to alternative fuels is not what they’ll be made out of, but how successful the companies coming up with them will be. Every time there’s a gas crisis – that is, every time gas prices are raised significantly – drivers become interested once again in the subject of alternative fuels as well as recycling, ridesharing and biking to work. But when gas prices come down again, some of the interest goes away. Not all of it, though. Each time, a few more are persuaded to live more greenly. And every one is more weight on the side of alternative fuel research and development; weight that’s needed because investors will be looking more closely at the offerings. Venture capital will no longer be readily given to entrepreneurs with an idea for the Next Big Thing.

In these challenging times venture money is going to the those who can show proof of how they will economically scale production of the fuel that they create. And that’s all to the better for us. Because of public demand for alternative fuels, those fuels will be developed and because the investors will be requiring a practical and affordable way to produce and distribute those fuels, we may actually get them.

In the meantime, let’s keep asking for alternatives to unrenewable energy sources. Don’t forget that, with gas prices, what comes down is likely to go back up again and “low” prices are always significantly higher than they used to be . Continue to reuse and recycle and whenever possible, rideshare.

Ridesharing - What's the Hangup?

For most people, it’s a given that ridesharing is a proven way to reduce gasoline usage and traffic congestion; a fact that’s borne out by the fact that in California, statewide car pool lanes carry an average of 2,518 people an hour. That’s more than 20,000 people a day, including vanpools and buses.

That is a lot of people – more than twice the number who ride in the congested lanes during those hours – yet, it’s a small number when compared to the probable number of cars and drivers on the road every day – in the U.S., there are over 200 million personal use vehicles. And car occupancy rates have fallen from around 1.64 to about 1.58. With “transportation accounting for nearly 60% of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels in California,” we can expect air quality and the overall health of the environment to suffer accordingly.

So, if we know that ridesharing reduces carbon emissions and alleviates traffic congestion, why aren’t more people doing it?

Cost Sharing

As long as they’re sharing their car, many people would like to share the cost of driving it, but they’re not sure how to calculate that cost fairly. Most ridesharing services assume trip partners will work it out amongst themselves, but many drivers figure it’s too much trouble. It also means that cash has to be exchanged, making the sharing of trips less safe and more awkward.

Personality

This is an issue that’s defined by questions such as “what if they talk too much/too little, hate my music, smoke or hate smoking?” and others; questions that can be distilled into one – what if we’re not compatible?

Security

This is a big issue – in a choice between offering a ride somewhere or accepting one and taking a chance on sharing space with a felon versus driving alone, most people would rather drive alone. But many people would rideshare if they were confident that those they share time with on the road were safe to be with.

Addressing these issues isn’t easy, so most ridesharing services are limited to work commutes for people at the same company – usually large companies or the government – or left to the discretion of the potential driver or passenger.

ZoomPool was created as a solution to the challenge of resolving these barriers to modern ridesharing, both for one-time trips as well as for regular commutes. It’s not Internet hitchhiking anymore – it’s more like eHarmony in the carpool lane. It's our belief that ridesharing can be safer, less of a chore to manage, and more fun as well.

And from the numbers of those ridesharing compared to the number of those who could be doing it, it’s clear that ZoomPool's solution is both timely and needed if we’re going to make more significant increase in ridesharing and in improving the overall health of the planet.