All Questions
Tagged with green-construction or construction
23 questions
3
votes
1
answer
110
views
Why is adding thermal mass good for heatwaves, given the importance of cooling off at night?
Thermal mass is the amount of thermal energy needed to raise a building one degree. Sometimes it's desirable: earthships have very thick walls with a lot of material, while phase-change materials ...
- 151
1
vote
1
answer
38
views
Siding for weather resistant cover over outdoor equipment
A simple wood frame is going up over some infrastructure in a farm field (a device with a motor in a sealed weather-resistant stainless-steel box). This wood frame is meant to help protect against sun,...
- 879
3
votes
3
answers
170
views
How "green" is using wood as a material?
There are simultaneous calls for not using paper in any form because it causes deforestation, but when it comes to building and making products from wood it is considered environmentally sustainable, ...
- 33
1
vote
0
answers
93
views
Asphalt (petroleum product) vs cement (carbon emitter) -- how to choose?
This answer to another question points out that asphalt, a petroleum product, is used in large quantities. If we as a society want to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, we will need to find an ...
- 12k
2
votes
3
answers
543
views
Which countries, regions, or cities have banned natural gas in new construction?
Last week, the city of Denver, U.S.A. announced a proposal to ban all new natural gas connections by 2030. From The Denverite:
Changes to natural gas rules will come via revisions to Denver’s ...
- 12k
6
votes
2
answers
863
views
Alternatives to concrete for a flat roof
I am from India and planning to build a house with as little cement, steel and sand as possible. I am looking to keep the temperature inside the home to be minimal since temperature will touch around ...
- 61
5
votes
1
answer
316
views
Choice between Expanded or Extruded Polystyrene Insulation Boards
Am living in Lahore, Pakistan, and these days in process of my house construction. Note, here locally we have concrete flat roofs. Summer time maximum temperature upto 50C, and in winters minimum ...
3
votes
1
answer
84
views
Are red cedar posts a viable option for freshwater dock pilings?
We are installing a platform/dock on a small freshwater pond. The property has a great amount of red cedar available for our use. How long could we expect red cedar posts to last if used as pilings? ...
- 1,479
7
votes
1
answer
659
views
Can we compare superadobe earthbags to concrete construction?
For simplicity, lets stick to a concrete block bunker with a tin roof, as these are our direct competitors here.
I have seen a lot of comparisons about seismic activity, fire resistance, and cost, ...
- 779
2
votes
0
answers
157
views
Building a boat - out of recyclables [closed]
Looking for ideas to make a boat out of mostly recycled material. Two idea's that come to mind is cardboard and use weather sealer on it, and caulking the edges or plastic bottles, jugs, and the like ...
- 141
1
vote
0
answers
41
views
Legalities of compost toilets [duplicate]
Is there any compost toilet that is legal for new construction? Assuming the answer is no, will there ever be?
9
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Would it be possible to recycle all plastic into bricks and use them for building or insulation?
I've had this idea for a few years and wonder if it would be feasible. Rather than simply recycling bottles and bags in blue bins, if there could be a way to melt down all types of plastic and mold ...
- 91
2
votes
1
answer
74
views
How would keystone pipeline affect nature?
I know that the legislature for the project was not passed, but only by one vote in the senate. If it were to pass, would the pipeline just wipe out miles of nature, or do politicians have any concern ...
- 221
9
votes
4
answers
290
views
How to construct a composting toilet
I want to built a composting toilet. What are the main construction aspects to be considered? Does anyone have a manual to share? I am especially interested in construction schemes which include the ...
- 91
8
votes
3
answers
657
views
Open Source DIY Architecture Alternatives?
After watching this video I felt really inspired and started thinking that it would be a great idea if we could research the same idea more and develop a way to make it easy enough for anyone to build ...
anon
11
votes
1
answer
247
views
How can I build an effective rotary composter?
I have a fenced in back yard and I am thinking about building a rotary composter. What is a good and proven design?
(I would like it to be big enough for a 4 person house)
- 353
9
votes
3
answers
207
views
Should municipalities consider rain barrels to be suitable substitutes for rain gardens? (Rain barrel vs rain garden)
My county requires rainwater management to be incorporated into lot plans for new construction if a certain percentage of the lot is impervious. This seems a sensible measure.
We are under the ...
- 303
24
votes
4
answers
30k
views
Dimensions for greenhouse to feed a family of 4?
I think a sustainable choice would be to start producing my own food in my backyard. To achieve year round production, I'll need a greenhouse. We enjoy lots of vegetables and salads on a daily basis, ...
- 1,478
5
votes
1
answer
45
views
What is the least dusty Earthen Plaster mixture to use on interior walls?
What Earthen Plaster mixture is least dusty for use on interior walls? The Earthen plasters I've seen, usually some mixture of earth, manure (horse or cow) and sand are pretty dusty. They work, but, ...
- 1,581
5
votes
1
answer
66
views
What is the most effective mixture of soil and amendments to use with Open Source Ecology's compressed earth brick press?
What is the best input mixture to produce cohesive, strong bricks when using Open Source Ecology's compressed earth brick press? I've heard that lime and sand should be added to help brick ...
- 1,581
16
votes
1
answer
248
views
What factors should I consider when deciding if cob construction is appropriate?
So I've read quite a bit about cob construction and even after this kind of research, I don't feel equipped to answer this question. What climates or locations make cob a good or bad idea?
One ...
- 721
11
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What alternatives to Polypropylene bags could be used in Earthbag construction?
Given that Polypropylene bags are still a plastic product and not very biodegradable or earth friendly, if Earthbag construction became widely used how could this method be improved upon even further?
...
- 211
23
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Before drilling a well, how can I determine any water table impact?
I own a property that has no water service and thus I need to drill a well. My neighbors have expressed concern about the water table being lowered by too many people with wells in the area.
Before ...
- 4,351