Page last updated January 11, 2009
House:

In-door Air Quality.

Ventilation.

Sunlight/Heat:
- clestory windows
- skylights
- solar tubes
- high efficiency glass windows
- winter day: sun light heats room air, and high thermal mass walls and floor; stored heat can be re-radiated in the night.
- winter night: use heavy curtains to close and insulate the windows
- winter night: need cross-ventilation
- windows:
a) U-Factor (typ. 0.20-1.35)
b) Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: SHRC - % of solar heat gain transmitted through the window. Typically measured at the center of the glass; frame choice can modify performance.
Summer-night-cooling:
- south windows: tops open to vent heat
- skylights: open to vent heat
Winter-heating:
- minimum interior walls to permit heat to flow freely through house
- heat loss minimized by few north, east, west windows
- convection cooling: low north windows or vents open to pull cool air in; high south windows to vent hot air out

Disposal:
- Composting.

Solar Energy:
1000W/m^2 "Peak sun" solar output
1.5-2 "Peak sun" hours/day
10% typ. solar pabel efficiency

Cooling:
Air Conditioning-
- For every degree below 78F, electricity bill will go up ~8%
- when not at home, turn up AC +5F
- use ceiling fans to circulate air
- continuous fan operation eliminates hot spots in split levels

Heating:
- earth mass (earth piled against the house)

Source:
1. Sunset Homeowner's Guide to Solar Heating & Cooling, 1978.

Water
Device Typ. Consumption
Electric oven 5000W
Clothes dryer (electric) 5000W
Central AC 3000W
Microwave Oven 1500W
Refrigerator 200-700W 10c/hr
Computer and monitor 400W 4c/hr
Light bulb 60W 0.6c/hr
Laptop computer 45W
Compact fluorescent bulb 18W
Clock radio 4W

Reference:
Alkaline AA battery - 3 W-h