The fight between hybrid and plug-ins begins. Round one goes to the the Nissan Leaf. Watch the commercial on YouTube here.
YouTube - Nissan LEAF: Gas Powered Everything The Chevy Volt gets a bloody nose here. Pre-fight commentators give hybrids the edge because they can go the distance.
A little tongue in check description here. It is much a kin to the three way fight in home energy use. Passive solar is the lest expensive to implement but as with the plug-in car may need help to go the distance. Passive solar needs a professional to implement effectively and is subject to solar access issues. Building, growth of trees and cloudy days.
PV solar panels, wind turbines and hydro electric are expensive and need even more care in planning and rolling out. Paybacks are longer and are also dependent on natural ebb and flows.
Conservation is often a first step to alternative power projects. Reduction in in the over all load reduces the required energy to power the project. Reducing the overall square footage by combining room functions, open plans, convertibility and built-ins.
Energy efficiency reduces energy requirements but are not zero-emissions design. Insulation and envelope tightness cost a little extra but have great paybacks.
Hot water heaters provide an interesting example to compare the different approaches. A super insulated tank is the conservation approach. An on demand water heater is a energy efficient model. A solar hot water panel is a active solar model. Locating the water heater inside the building envelop is a passive design strategy to capture excess heat while reducing heat loss.
Low-tech design is a good solution. Like a bike instead of a car. Like thinking of outdoor space as additional rooms for the house. Even a sleeping porch, outdoor kitchen, patio/porch as living room diffuses the distinction between inside and outside. The experience of shelter is increased with no additional energy required.
YouTube - Nissan LEAF: Gas Powered Everything The Chevy Volt gets a bloody nose here. Pre-fight commentators give hybrids the edge because they can go the distance.
A little tongue in check description here. It is much a kin to the three way fight in home energy use. Passive solar is the lest expensive to implement but as with the plug-in car may need help to go the distance. Passive solar needs a professional to implement effectively and is subject to solar access issues. Building, growth of trees and cloudy days.
PV solar panels, wind turbines and hydro electric are expensive and need even more care in planning and rolling out. Paybacks are longer and are also dependent on natural ebb and flows.
Conservation is often a first step to alternative power projects. Reduction in in the over all load reduces the required energy to power the project. Reducing the overall square footage by combining room functions, open plans, convertibility and built-ins.
Energy efficiency reduces energy requirements but are not zero-emissions design. Insulation and envelope tightness cost a little extra but have great paybacks.
Hot water heaters provide an interesting example to compare the different approaches. A super insulated tank is the conservation approach. An on demand water heater is a energy efficient model. A solar hot water panel is a active solar model. Locating the water heater inside the building envelop is a passive design strategy to capture excess heat while reducing heat loss.
Low-tech design is a good solution. Like a bike instead of a car. Like thinking of outdoor space as additional rooms for the house. Even a sleeping porch, outdoor kitchen, patio/porch as living room diffuses the distinction between inside and outside. The experience of shelter is increased with no additional energy required.
Comments
Post a Comment