Energy Conservation
Conserving energy is one of the first steps we can take to help reduce pollution, and at the same time save up to 75% or more on the electric bill. These savings add up, which can be used to help fund the conversion and application of earth-friendly alternatives, saving us even more. Clearly turning off electrical devices when they are not in use will help save energy, but there are other ways of saving energy as well.
Passive Heating and Cooling
Air conditioning accounts for about 6% of all energy use in the summer, and space heating uses nearly as much energy as all other electrical devices combined, accounting for about 47% of all energy used in the average home during the winter. Nevertheless, home heating and cooling costs can be reduced by up to 30-50% or more, simply by conserving the energy we already use and pay for:
Reduce the need for air conditioning during the summer by opening windows at night and closing them (as
well as blinds and/or curtains) early in the morning, before the sun begins to warm up the home. It may
be chilly for the first part of the day, but by about midday, you'll be glad you did this.
Regulate indoor temperatures with proper insulation and heat storage. Some of the most common forms of natural,
eco-friendly insulation include cork, hemp, cotton, straw and wool. Heat storage applications may incorporate
the use of air, water, oil, sand, soil, stone, gravel, masonry or PCMs (phase change materials). Heat storage
mediums such as air, water and earth may be used for general temperature regulation as well as for passive
geothermal heating and cooling. At only four feet below ground for example, R values are at about 99%; the
soil helps keep temperatures at a constant average of 50-60F all year round, nearly everywhere on the globe.
Natural phase change materials (PCMs) such as water, fats, oils, waxes and calcium chloride salts maintain nearly
constant temperatures by absorbing heat while melting and emitting heat while solidifying. With the capacity to
store 5-14 times more heat per volume than most other sensible heat storage materials, PCMs are another viable heat
storage medium used in temperature regulation, as well as passive heating and cooling applications. Once cooled and
solidified, most PCMs may then be used again. Some PCMs such as calcium chloride salts are also
hygroscopic in that they absorb water from surrounding air, and when combined with water and temperatures of about
70-90 degrees an exothermic reaction occurs, quickly raising temperatures to about 120 to 140 degrees. Such hygroscopic
PCMs are therefore additionally useful for collecting water from air as well as for solar distillation and seawater desalination.
Depending on sunlight and location, solar transpired air collectors can raise incoming air temperatures by 30-75 degrees.
To further extend the length of time that a transpired air collector can heat the home (such as at night or when it is too
cloudy to collect and provide sufficient heat from the sun alone), incoming air can come from inside rather than
outside of the home. Calcium chloride salts can also be used for storing and emitting heat from within the collector/s, if
kept dry.
Hot water baseboard radiators or a radiant floor heating system can be used for both space heating and for cooling. Hot
water (from any source, even from a solar evacuated tube hot water heater) is pumped through the system for radiant heating,
while cold water may be used in the same systems for passive cooling.
With such simple and cost effective energy saving methods as these, all of your home heating and cooling needs could be provided naturally, all year round, free of charge.