Thermal mass
Thermal mass refers to materials that are able to retain their heat for a period of time. Materials such as concrete, bricks and stone are high in thermal mass, which means that there is a lag in the time it takes for the material to heat up and to cool down. The considered placement of thermal mass by designers helps a room to stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
It can also moderate temperatures between daytime and nighttime fluctuations, making the home a more constant temperature. The poor placement of thermal mass - as many will have experienced - can create spaces that are too cold (like a tiled bathroom floor on a winter's morning) or too hot.
Cross-flow Ventilation
Cross flow ventilation is a fancy term for allowing breezes into your house to naturally cool the spaces. 'Cross-flow' refers to the approach of placing openings at opposite sides of a room to encourage available breezes to cross evenly through the space. A space designed with cross-flow ventilation in mind will have openings at opposite sides of the space that can be easily opened when required.
Cross-flow ventilation can be used during summer nights to 'purge' the house of the day's hot air and to cool the thermal mass ready for the next day. If windows or openings on both sides of the house cannot be opened, the ventilation of the space will be limited.
Solar Dryer
Another fancy term referring to something we're all familiar with - a clothes line! The solar dryer - or clothes line is the natural way to dry clothes. The term is a bit of a misnomer however, because it is actually the wind that does most of the drying, while the sun is responsible for all the fading!
Insulation
Insulation refers to a material's ability to resist heat transfer. Insulation is a product used in homes to prevent unwanted heat loss/gain. A well insulated home will be warmer in winter and cooler in summer and require less auxiliary heating and cooling. All components of the building envelope have the ability to be insulated including the ceiling, roof space, walls and under the floor. The insulation requirements of your home vary depend on your climate.
R-Value
R-value is a measure of a material's ability to resist heat flow. The larger the R-value, the more insulating the material is. R-values are typically used for insulation products as a guide to how effective the product will be at resisting unwanted heat loss/gain.
Insulated Glazing
Typically, glass is a very poor insulator. Windows are the most common place where unwanted heat loss/gain occurs in an otherwise well insulated home. Insulated glazing uses two or more panes of glass separated by a thermally resistant spacer to create an air gap between the glass. As still air is a very good insulator, this increases the insulating properties of the glazing unit. In some systems, a gas such as argon is used in the air gap which further reduces heat transmittance.
Grey Water
Fresh water is considered to be 'white water', while water contaminated with faecal matter or grease and kitchen scraps from the toilet and kitchen is referred to as 'black water'. Grey water sits somewhere in the middle of these two extremes and is usually wasted along with black water from the shower, laundry etc.
There is a potential to easily treat and reuse grey-water in the garden or to flush toilets and use in the washing machine. This is an effective way to save water that would otherwise be sent down the sewer to a treatment plant. It is important to investigate ways to manage and treat grey-water and devise a system that best suits your situation and needs.
Grid-connect PV
PV stands for Photovoltaic. A PV cell or panel is able to transform solar radiation from the sun into electricity. A grid-connect PV system is a solar electricity generator that is connected to the existing power grid. Small-scale PV systems can be installed on you roof. The benefit of this type of system is that when the sun is shining and the panels are able to produce a lot of energy, the system will feed excess energy into the grid for use by other homes, businesses etc.
Many energy companies will essentially reverse your power meter as electricity is fed back into the grid, while some green savvy suppliers will actually pay you a premium for the energy you give back, meaning you can experience significant reductions in your electricity costs - maybe even a credit! When the sun sets or on cloudy days when the PV system is not supplying enough energy to meet the demand from your home, you seamlessly begin drawing power back from the grid, meaning you will never be without electricity, even during the dreariest seasons!
Passive Design
Passive design is a technique of building design that minimises the need for mechanical heating and cooling systems. By utilising many of the features mentioned above, a passive house will be warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Key features of a passive design are:
- Climate responsive design
- Orientation to the North (or South in Northern Hemisphere) to maximise solar gain in winter
- Adequate shading to prevent overheating in summer
- Appropriate insulation to reduce unwanted heat loss/gain
- Good access to ventilation to allow for natural cooling and temperature control when available
- Thermal mass, appropriately located to help moderate the temperature
Passively designed homes can significantly reduce and often eliminate the need for artificial heating and cooling. This ultimately saves money on heating and cooling costs as well as being an ecologically preferable, more comfortable environment for occupants.
Brodie Norris is a Sustainability Consultant for Service Central and Professional Home Sustainability Assessor. He has a history in the Building and Design industry, including experience with Architects and Planners.
As editor of sustainability website, EZGreen Brodie is committed to the delivery of green solutions to the masses!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brodie_Norris
http://EzineArticles.com/?Green-House-Terms---Know-the-Key-Terms-and-Concepts-Relating-to-Eco-Friendly-House-Design&id=2688921
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