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7.12.2015

MOhemp Energy: Hempcrete Post Frame Building Perfect Solution

MOhemp Energy: Hempcrete Post Frame Building Perfect Solution

Scottys Hempcrete Post Frame Building is the Perfect Solution to meet and exceed every need of the Energy Efficient and Sustainable Housing crisis that is plaguing America and beyond.

If someone else has put 2 and 2 together on this perfect match for building Energy Efficient Sustainable Building using sustainable hempcrete; I've yet to read about online or from any of the many progressive builders I follow who are constructing and working on energy efficient buildings.  I consider myself a trendsetter in this type of construction technique.

This isn't the first time I've shared this design build construction technique and it will not be the last.  This is also the design that I will re-submit to NRELOak Ridge Laboratories, andDOE for upcoming contests for Energy Efficient Building Design.  

With this blog post I will demonstrate how the Post Frame Building Principles: saves money, saves energy, and saves resources.

Residential Post Frame Examples- The economical revamped old style of pole barn construction for modern day uses

In the above Post Frame Residential Building Photos notice the exterior of the buildings can incorporate any of the aesthetic designs your heart desires- Siding, Brick, Stone, Stucco, or Wood.


Here's How Post-Frame Buildings Can Save on Construction Costs


Fewer Materials Needed for Construction
 
Post-frame construction requires limited wall and roof framing materials, and minimal footing and foundation materials. Wood posts spaced 8 to 12 feet apart with a frame building system means fewer resources than most other construction methods.
Reduction of Labor Costs
 
Post-frame construction site preparation often requires fewer trades and less time. Fewer building components lead to less time for installation labor then those built with wood frame systems. This is because many post-frame building components come prefabricated to the project site.
Shorter Time of Construction
 
Start with a wood frame system site preparation. Post-frame construction utilizes posts to build frames. Augering holes for posts require minimal effort. On average, it takes experienced post-frame contractors two or three days to erect a basic frame. That includes posts, girts, trusses, and purlins.
Minimization of Construction Delays
 
Delays due to cold weather, even in northerly climates, are minimal. With frame building systems, post foundations can be installed on or below freezing temperatures.

VersatilityAchieve virtually any aesthetic with post-frame construction’s flexibility and large, open interiors.SustainabilityPost-frame construction includes various sustainable benefits. Many of which can help earn LEED Certification



Savings start 
in the Framing Design and Construction.  Notice in the following examples how the top image uses less lumber in the construction of the buildings structural assembly.
Comparing Post Frame Residential Building Designs to Stick Built Frame Building
Compare the Lumber Needs of Post Frame Building to Traditional Building Techniques image below

Image result for small stick framing building by Energy Vanguard
Example of Traditional Stick Frame Building Image Energy Vanguard
Have you been to the Lumber yard lately?  The cost of lumber used to build homes and buildings is at an all-time high for my lifetime.  Does it really matter what is inside your walls as long as it is meets or exceeds building codes for structural framing, energy efficiency, and holds up the roof of the home? 


Construction Estimate Example for Lumber requirement comparing Post Frame Wall 24 feet Long to stick frame wall 24 feet long both of which are 8 feet tall using board feet calculations using actual Board Feet of Lumber.





Post FrameStick Frame
 true dimensional 4x6 posts @ 8 feet spacing = 4 = 68 board feet (site built posts would be even less)2x6 studs @ 24 in spacing= 14 qty = 77 board feet
3-2x4 Runners = 31.5 Board Feet2x6 top and bottom plates= 38board feet
Total: 99.5 Board FeetTotal: 115 Board Feet
Savings of 15.5 Board Feet15.5 more board feet
x 4 walls = 62 Board Feet Saved(almost the total board feet needed for the posts in one wall)Door/Window Framing is a push or equal needs on construction techniques for this comparison.
Board Feet Calculator

Upcoming MOhemp Energy Blog Post will compare the materials inside your wall and its energy efficiency R Values. 

7.02.2015

Fwd: Jul. 02 - Cheapest solar ever for Austin Energy; What happened when NRG disrupted itself




Utility Dive Solar SEPA
July​ 2,​ 2015 View online | Sign up | Forward

Top News

Austin Energy gets record low solar bids at under 4 cents/kWh

Solar bids are getting cheaper so quickly that the utility is asking its oversight arm to slow down approvals so it can get the best deal possible.

What happened when NRG Energy disrupted its own business model

The country's biggest independent power producer is going retail with rooftop solar, EV chargers, and connected consumer products.
NEWS FROM SEPA

SEPA staff go up on the roof: Solar transformation in East Baltimore

SEPA staff recently helped GRID Alternatives install solar on two homes in a low-income area in Baltimore and heard compelling stories about solar's power to change lives.
Read More

How America's largest power company plans to become a leading renewables developer

As Duke Energy's renewables business grows, it presents unique challenges in balancing the interests of its utilities with those of its unregulated subsidiaries. 

Grid Edge Live 2015: The trends behind the explosion in distributed resources

Billions will go to DERs in the next three years, driven by changing policies and new utility opportunities.

Georgia Power unveils rooftop solar installation offering

The utility will not yet offer leasing or loan financing and the solar arrays "will not be rate based assets," an executive told Utility Dive.

Maine lawmakers override Gov. LePage's veto of value of solar bill

Huge bipartisan majorities send "Ratepayer Focused Strategy" for solar to state regulators, while LePage looks increasingly weak.

HECO files with regulators to cut solar net metering rates in half

HECO also wants to up the minimum monthly bill to cover a cost shift it says costs $53 million per year.

Despite declaring energy sales illegal, Duke will connect solar array owned by third party

Energy advocates and the regulated utility are on a collision course over rules restricting the sale of energy by third parties.

Minn. PUC approves Xcel-solar industry deal on community shared solar

State regulators limit co-located projects to 5 MW while Xcel promises to speed approvals.

Study: More than half of large US businesses generate power on site

Businesses are increasingly focused on keeping down energy costs, and a growing number are generating some portion of their own electricity needs.

Read more news

SEPA ANNOUNCEMENTS

New SEPA white papers

SEPA has posted two white papers about its 51st State Initiative -- a summary of the papers it received and a recap of the recent 51st State Summit. 
Read More

What will solar-plus-storage do to wholesale power prices?

A new report from SEPA and Black & Veatch looks at what could happen to wholesale electric prices in California as the state considers a target of 50 percent renewables by 2030. 
Read More

Building the buzz for SPI

What will the hot sessions be at Solar Power International Sept. 14-17 in Anaheim? Check out the workshop schedule — it's packed! — and start planning now.
Read More

What We're Reading

Corporate and environmental front groups emerge influential in Southeast solar battles

EnergyWire

Solar power still needs to get much cheaper. Are perovskites the answer?

Vox

Tesla gigafactory construction ahead of schedule

Construction Dive

Report: Georgia number 1 for clean energy jobs

Atlanta Business Chronicle

Half of Europe's electricity set to be from renewables by 2030

The Guardian

Winds of change as Ethiopia harnesses green power

AFP

Audio: A top utility engineer talks DER integration

Greentech Media

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Old is the New Green–Video House Tour


Transcript
Matt: [at front of old Victorian house] Hi, I'm Matt Grocoff, the green renovation expert for Old House Web and host of greenovation.tv and this is my house.  So when my wife Kelly and I first bought this 110 year old folk Victorian house, it was a dream come true: it had lead paint, asbestos siding, zero insulation and even an old gas powered lawn mower out in the shed.  What more can anybody ask for.
Matt: [in living room] So on move in day we brought two things with us:  a crowbar to rip up all the old carpet and a box of compact fluorescent light bulbs.  We replaced every light socket in this house with compact fluorescents and then we added motion sensors to every light switch in the house.  We leave a room, if we forget to turn it off, it turns it off for us.
Matt: [in bathroom] So at the start of our renovation project, this was the only bathroom in the house.  It was fantastic.  It had pink Formica tiles, an old flush toilet that flushed 5 gallons every time.  This is a Caroma Dual Flush Toilet which only uses .8 gallons every flush and unlike our old toilet never clogs.  But not only have we made it look great, but we've made it way more energy efficient.
This is a 1-minute a gallon showerhead.  This is going to use a gallon and a half a minute less than an ordinary showerhead.  This will literally save thousands of gallons over its lifetime.
Matt: [backyard drilling for geothermal] I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say "I thought you couldn't put geothermal into a historic house."  Well this house proves that wrong.  We were able to put three 150-foot bore holes vertically into the back yard on a very small piece of property.  Not only do we have a heating and cooling system that uses half the energy of our neighbors, we have a house that's a whole lot more comfortable. 
Matt: [in living room] We're out to prove that old houses can be the Greenest houses. In fact, with all the renovations we've done so far, we've made this house ultra efficient and we've got a ways to go.  We're going to take this house all the way to Net Zero.  Meaning it's going to produce more energy than it uses.
Matt: [at the computer] So you eco geeks, get ready to get geeked out because this is our WattVision Google Power Meter.  And this will tell us how much energy we're consuming at any given moment.  If everyone knew how much energy they were using, they would probably use a lot less.  [I'm coming to get you, I got you, I got you] Before we get the solar panels up on the roof, you can see we've got a lot of work to do.
Matt: [pointing to house exterior] We've got to paint the house, restore these old windows, then top it off with some really energy efficient storm windows.  My daughter Jane will probably still be alive when this house turns 200 years old.  So restoring America's old homes is not just about preserving history, it's about protecting our future.   So for Old House Web, this is Matt Grocoff reminding you that, "The Green Revolution Begins at Home"



Thank You for stopping by-Share and Comment below. If additional information in needed or you have a question let me know. Together we can make a difference and create a future that will benefit everyone. Build a Green StLouis Green Building Tips and Resources via: Scotty- St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog
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Can Plastics Be Sustainable?


 According to New Light Technologies yes it can!  From Greenhouse Gas to Plastic the new technology years in the making.



From the Article: 
the trick developed by Newlight Technologies lies in their biocatalyst: in the past, each kilogram of biocatalyst added to the mixture would be able to produce one kilogram of polymer before it expired...
"It is our belief that climate change is not going to be solved by subsidies or taxes. We think that the only way we are going to solve climate change, in the time and at the scale that is required, is through market-driven solutions," explained Herrema to Smithsonian Magazine. After their initial success, Newlight Technologies is focusing on expanding their operations, setting up production plants in states such as North Dakota and Texas, where practices such as fracking in rural areas creates an excess of methane that can literally be seen from space.

Newlight Technologies' next milestone of production is 50 million pounds (22.7 million kilograms) of plastic per year, but that's just the start. Herrema compares their technology to another breakthrough in plastic technology, Union Carbide's UNIPOL technology, saying that Newlight Technologies aims to achieve a similar scale to Union Carbide's peak of 60 billion pounds (27.2 billion kilograms) per year.
With ambitions like that, it may not be long before architects can talk about using plastic as a sustainable option, a material that sequesters carbon in much the same way as we talk of timber today.


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