See:
http://techref.massmind.org/techref/other/homes.htm

Especially the pages on solar cooling and earth tubes:
http://techref.massmind.org/techref/other/spac.htm
http://techref.massmind.org/techref/other/spac.htm#Vent

And I completely agree on the wood stove: If you do not have a steady flow
of air and/or inversions, wood heat should not be considered.

I don't understand your concern about PV panels, any references would be
interesting.

--
James.

-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@MIT.EDU [mailto:piclist-bounces@MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of
Jake Anderson
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 15:38
To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
Subject: Re: [OT]:: Cuba flies lone flag for sustainability


>
> Yes, the same is true of electricity, commuting, HVAC and many other
things.
> I hope people will do what they can to reduce that as well. I have a wood
> stove for heat, a very nice clothes drying stand instead of a dryer, and
> solar power and water panels on my roof. Every one of those things not
only
> reduced my contribution to the terror machine, but ALSO reduced MY costs
of
> living. Why on EARTH would people not want to save money? It takes about 2
> minutes longer, and a mild upper body workout, to hang up the clothes
rather
> than dump them in the dryer, and then they are easier to fold and put
away.
> The wood stove is pretty, romantic, and warm in a way that standard heat
is
> not. My solar panels were effectively free based on a comparison of the
loan
> payment against the savings on our power bill, and it is starting to turn
a
> profit as rates increase.
>
>   
I have just purchased my first house and it is going to need some 
renovation.
I'm just wondering what ideas people have along these lines to reduce 
energy consumption. I think wood fired stoves are a bad idea generally 
as they make some really nasty smoke. Where i live now we get thermal 
inversions as well which traps the smoke down against the ground and it 
is decidedly bad. I am thinking solar concentrators and a hot 
water/gravel system for heating. I'm mainly wondering what suggestions 
people have for cooling?
I'm still a little wary of solar PV there seems to be allot of nastiness 
in terms of toxic things when they are produced and they are really 
expensive. Other than again concentrators then a triple expansion steam 
engine does anybody have any comments? Personally I like the steam 
engine just for its own sake ;->.
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