Sustainability Tour
SUSTAINABILITY TOUR
(This is from the signs of our self-guided tour around Lost Valley's property)
Compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL)
Location: Everywhere
While conventional (incandescent) light
bulbs convert a whopping 90% of electricity into heat and only 10%
into light, compact or tubular fluorescent lamps convert about 75%
into light. Commercially-available CFLs of the spiral design fit
into the majority of light fixtures, and are now available in dimmable,
3-Way, and Full Spectrum models. According to manufacturers, CFLs
last about ten times as long as incandescent light bulbs. However,
considering prices between $6-8 per bulb combined with the low electricity
cost, it is currently most cost-effective to replace only those
bulbs that are used for an average of 3-4 hours or more on a daily
basis. A standard 100-watt incandescent light bulb can be replaced
by a 25-watt CFL (75-watt by a 20-watt CFL, 60-watt by a 11-13-watt
CFL). State-of-the-art CFL's consume so little extra energy during
the start-up phase (upon turning on), that they should always be
turned off when leaving a room (unless you're returning within 30
sec). As CFL's contain some hazardous materials, they need to be
disposed of at the local recycling station, as opposed to in the
household trash.
Haybox
Location: Kitchens
In conventional cooking, any heat applied to the pot after the food
reaches boiling temperatures is merely replacing heat lost to the
air by the pot. The haybox, also known as a retained-heat cooker,
works on the principle that if the heat applied to food in the cooking
process can be retained, rather than lost, no "replacement heat"
is needed to keep the food cooking. In haybox cooking, food is brought
to a boil on the stove, simmers for several minutes, then is put
into a haybox, where it completes its cooking. Most hayboxes are
variations on a simple design: a plywood shell (reused) and styrofoam
(reused) or other insulating materials (e.g., hay (!), well-encapsulated
fiberglass, feathers, wool, cellulose, etc.) glued to the inside.
The inside face is covered with a highly-reflective MylarJ (or the
less durable aluminum foil). -Cooking time: only 1 to 1.5 times
the "regular" cooking time -Guaranteed no burning, no tending needed
-Reduce water use by 1/4 -Stays piping hot for many hours -More
flavor and nutrition (most cooking occurs below 212 degrees F)
Cob phone booth
Location: Behind Lodge Kitchen
This phone booth and bench structure is made from cob, a clay/sand/straw
mix, supported by a stone foundation. The wooden beams come from
trees from our land. This is part of a thinning effort to promote
the growth of selected trees (an effort to re-establish a native
ecosystem). Cob's most significant environmental benefits are extremely
low embodied energy (minimally processed, very short transportation
distances), virtually no depletion of scarce natural resources (straw
is byproduct of agriculture, clay and sand are abundant in the earth's
crust), its non-toxic nature, and 100% reusability/recycleability.
It is also an excellent storage medium for thermal energy (perfect
for properly-designed, passively-heated buildings in climates with
significant temperature fluctuations between day and night), while
also providing great storage capacity for moisture. Great care needs
to be taken when using cob or clay for heated buildings in a climate
like ours (many months with extremely little sun, abundant sunlight
is a must for passive heating strategies using thermal mass). The
material has practically no heat insulation value, and therefore
requires the addition of a separate layer of insulation. By the
way, about 80-90% of the life-cycle-wide energy consumption of a
typical residential building happens during its use, and only about
10-20% go into the production of the materials used for it. Therefore,
it's always worthwhile to be generous with insulation materials,
even if that results in slightly larger amounts of embodied energy.
Some labor is required each year for keeping the structure in good
repair, as is common in traditional societies in the less-industrialized
world. Therefore, this material is a good example of replacing the
use of scarce natural resources (energy and wood etc.) with increasingly
abundant human energy/labor.
Solar cooker
Location: Near Meadow Garden
The basic design of this solar cooker consists of the solar collector/reflector
(upper part), and a well-insulated cooking box under glass. Sun
rays are collected and re-directed from the reflector into the heat-absorbing
cooking box, taking advantage of the glass' green house effect (some
of the visible short-wave radiation from the sun being converted
into long-wave thermal radiation: heat). There the food is cooked
at a safe temperature. While slower than stoves with burners, this
very simple technology doesn't cause any of the environmental impacts
produced by concentrated forms of energy (e.g., fossil fuels, photovoltaic
or wind power, with their complex equipment requirements). Solar
cookers work as long as there's sun, even on cold days, so long
as the food is given sufficient time to cook. Even small quantities
are prepared easily and sustainably.
Photovoltaic system
Location: Near Meadow Garden
Photovoltaics (PV) convert sunlight into electricity (DC), which
can either be used directly on-site, stored in batteries, or fed
back into the power grid. Such a system requires no moving parts,
and still generates up to 80% of its maximum power on overcast days.
Some systems have suntrackers that move the panels so that they're
most directly facing the sun. However, it is often more cost-effective
to simply add extra PV panels instead of purchasing a sun tracking
system. The two panels near the garden can produce up to 84 Watts
during full sunshine. Batteries buffer during times of high generation/low
demand and vice-versa, enabling this small system to provide enough
power for one person's basic electrical needs all year-round (i.e.,
reading lamps, stereo, laptop computer). However, in households
that have not been equipped with highly energy-efficient appliances
(especially fridges, washers, dryers, stoves, lights, hot water
heaters), it is significantly more expensive to generate the power
needed with PV, as opposed to taking steps to save the same amount.
In remote areas, it is often cheaper to install a PV system than
to have the power company install long-distance transmission lines.
Other large-scale benefits of on-site renewable power generation
include a shift of control over power supply from centralized companies
back to the citizens, and an improved resiliency of the power grid
(not all power generation eggs are laid in one nest). Life Cycle
Assessment studies of PV panels have shown that it takes only about
5 years in this cloudy climate to save the same amount of energy
that was needed to produce these panels (less than 3 in eastern
Oregon). While for the average US electric grid* the picture is
similar for many other environmental impacts, such as toxic releases,
the "greenness" of our local utility grid (75% + hydropower) makes
it harder to claim as many environmental benefits of using PV panels.
*...52% coal, 20% nuclear, 15% gas, 7 % hydro and 3% fuel oil
Whole building fan, and ceiling fan
Location: Kitchen and Lodge
The lodge can get uncomfortably hot in the summer, despite some
shading from trees, a sufficient roof overhang, and some insulation
in the walls. We employ two of the least-impactful strategies to
provide a greater level of "thermal well-being": a conventional
whole-house fan in the roof, and a ceiling fan in the center of
the common space. The whole-house fan cools down the space by pulling
in colder outside air through open windows, which both cools people
and, if left on overnight ("night-flushing"), cools down the materials
(flooring, walls, tables, chairs) so that they can function as a
heat sink when temperatures are rising again during the day. The
ceiling fan, however, only cools people who are directly in the
zone of moving air (through evaporation of skin moisture). Fans
can achieve cooling of 4 to 8 degrees F , using a fraction of the
energy that typical air conditioning units would consume. While
the whole-house fan is an excellent example of passive and nearly-free
cooling, the ceiling fan and table fan illustrate the benefits of
satisfying an essential need: thermal well-being. This is achieved
by cooling people's bodies directly, while safely ignoring the (thermal)
mass of the furniture and the building (which conventional a/c units
cool down as well, at great energy expenses). Ceiling fans also
help reduce heating demands in the winter by pushing warm air that
rises to the ceiling back down into the living space. Unless the
ceiling/roof is very well insulated (more than R-30), such an approach
can save significantly more energy in heating than what's required
to power the fan, especially in electrically-heated rooms. Sustainability
tips: Turn on whole-bldg. fan only when outside air is significantly
cooler (open windows). Turn on ceiling fan (or table fans) only
when people are present and in the airstream.
Solar-assisted shower and clothes washer
Location: Front of Lodge (see picture below)
On sunny days during the summer, a significant portion of the water
for these showers, washing machines, and kitchen sinks is heated
by solar hot water panels in front of the lodge (West side). During
times of low demand and continuous sunshine, a 200 Gal buffer tank
stores the 140 degree F hot water for times of greater demand. (More
information on solar hot water can be found right at the panels).
All showers in the dorms have low-flow shower heads, which limit
the water consumption to 2.5 Gal/minute (GPM). The most advanced
products on the market can reduce flow to 1.5 GPM. Many older models
consume up to 5 GPM, twice the amount that is currently permitted
in new construction by the 1992 Energy Policy Act. Based on the
electricity needed to heat the water, pump it from the well, pressurize
it, and pump the waste water into our leach field, one minute of
showering here consumes as much as leaving on a conventional 60
Watt reading lamp for 8 hours (5 min = 40 hours!). Taking a bath
in a regular bathtub consumes about 3 times as much water and energy
as a 5-min shower. Sustainability tips: Stay clean; reduce necessity
for showers . Use our solar shower, located by the outdoor kitchen,
instead of a regular shower (The water is still hot in the morning). Take the "Navy shower": step 1: get wet, step 2: turn the water
off, step 3: soap yourself, step 4: rinse. Avoid showers altogether.
Warning: possible side effect might include loss of all social contacts. Also, please turn fan on while you take a shower to remove steam
from room, avoiding condensation on walls. Turn it off and open
curtains when you leave. Fan will NOT dry off all the condensed
moisture on the walls.
Cabin 6 ENERGY
Location: Cabin 6
This is the first community-housing unit that has been remodeled
with the main goal of minimizing energy consumption* Electric room
heating is one of the top environmental and cost burdens of LVEC,
so reducing heating demand has the highest priority in LVEC's "greening"
efforts. This approach is also significantly more cost effective
at this point than attempting to provide the energy needed from
renewable sources. Reducing demand as much as possible, while not
abandoning electric heating preserves the future option of switching
to electricity generated by solar, wind or other renewable energies.
We increased the thickness of the walls of this cabin from the standard
3.5" to 5", replaced old crumpled-up insulation, and old shoddy
single-pane windows with tightly-closing (re-used) double-pane windows.
While using mostly reclaimed/reused fiberglass insulation from a
torn-down building in Eugene, we effectively tripled the heat insulation
of the walls from R-7 to R-21. In addition, since the loft is used
mostly as a bedroom and/or storage area (i.e., unheated), we also
insulated the ceiling. The most notable "green" features of this
are an increase of its thickness (from 5.5" to 7"), and the use
of blown-in cellulose insulation (100% post-consumer recycled newspaper).
This resulted in a R-value of about 25. *most other cabins have
been upgraded partially by adding/increasing insulation to the floor,
by caulking gaps around windows and doors, and by building storm
windows.
Cabin 6 GREEN-er MATERIALS
Location: Cabin 6
On this cabin we used only insulation materials that are either
reclaimed/reused from other buildings (fiberglass), or that are
made from 100% post-consumer recycled content (cellulose). Instead
of re-installing carpet, which is petroleum-based, difficult to
recycle, and poses indoor-air-quality problems, we chose an innovative,
more economical and environmentally friendly solution: Oriented
Strand Board (OSB), treated with 3 coats of water-based "Varathane",
a very durable Poly-Urethane. OSB, normally used for under-flooring
and sheathing, is made primarily from chipped-up small trees and
solid-lumber production waste, effectively utilizing material that
might otherwise end up in waste-to-heat incinerators. The absence
of carpet eliminates exposure to toxic emissions from the carpet
itself, and from the adhesives (unless tack-strips are used), while
also minimizing health risks associated with dust, mold, etc. that
often gets trapped in the carpet. The walls were also painted with
water-based Latex paints.
Efficient clothes washer
Location: Laundry Rooms
This horizontal-spin, frontloading clothes washer requires about
40 % less energy, water, and detergent than conventional top-loading
machines. The energy savings come mostly from the reduced heating
of water, and less energy required to agitate the load, but also
from less strain on the pumps in LVEC's water system (well, pressure
tank, and leach-field). Horizontal-spin machines are not only inherently
more efficient, they also treat the laundry much more gently, slowing
down the wear and tear noticeably. While front-loaders are more
expensive to purchase than top-loaders, they typically have lower
life cycle cost, due to the energy, water, and detergent savings
in operation. Also, tax refund and grant programs have effectively
cut the purchase cost in half (down to $320 ). With the 20 to 35
loads per week that our machines are used, it will only take 1.5
to 2 years for this investment to be recovered, allowing for significant
financial savings for the remaining 10-20 years of the machine's
lifetime. Sustainability tips: Run full loads only. § Set on "fast
spin" (getting rid of water/moisture though spinning takes only
a fraction of the energy needed to do the job with hot air in the
dryer). Wash on "cold/cold" if clothing is not too dirty. BTW,
for a ranked listing of the most efficient washers on the market
(updated annually), get the $4 booklet "The most energy-efficient
appliances" by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
(www.aceee.org). (also includes fridges, dishwashers, water heaters,
a/c units, furnaces/boilers)
Energy-efficient dryer
Location: Laundry Rooms
Our new dryer features a moisture sensor, which automatically turns
off the machine once the load is dry. Observations of people's past
drying practices (e.g., drying times of more than 45 min. beyond
what's necessary) show that this type of machine will save about
one third to half the energy (electricity) currently spent on drying.
With about 5,600 Watts demand by the air heating unit of this machine
(typical for state-of-the-art dryers), which is equivalent to 56
(!) 100-Watt light bulbs, we are saving between $200 and $400 every
year. This in turn results in a payback time of the purchase cost
($470) of between just over one year and 2.5 years. Sustainability
tips: § One average load in this machine consumes the equivalent
of about 4 days worth of keeping a 60-Watt light bulb on, around
the clock! So, whenever it's sunny enough outside (even when cold),
please dry your clothing on our clothes line, or consider indoor
drying racks. § If you do have to use the dryer: § Choose one of
the two moisture-sensor modes ("IntellyDry"). § Run full loads only.
Lodge, common area, & kitchen
Location: Same as above
The flooring in the lodge main area is oak wood purchased from a
certified "sustainably managed forest". This certification verifies
that the lumber doesn't come from a clear-cut, but from a forest
managed to standards which "ensure long-term health and productivity,
wildlife habitat, and water quality, while also providing social
benefits (e.g., employment)" (www.certifiedwood.org) Other options
for low-impact, so-called "resilient flooring" would be: linoleum
(not to be confused with vinyl/PVC), cork, bamboo, 100% recycled
rubber, as well as sealed concrete, earth, and natural stone (for
slab-on-grade floors). The lodge also features some strategies to
conserve energy (electric lighting) and improve indoor environmental
quality (daylight vs. fluorescent light): Large skylights in the
main space, and light tubes/sun tubes in the kitchen admit lots
of daylight, without admitting too much heat in the summer time;
the skylights face North and are often shaded by trees. Each of
the two sun tubes in the kitchen can be recognized by its 12"-round
lens on the ceiling. On sunny days, those sun tubes provide all
the light needed in the kitchen, while the skylights in the main
room provide enough light even on overcast days. With this we realize
a savings of about 250-500 Watts of electricity for artificial lighting.
Sustainability tips: § Take into account the life cycle costs in
choosing a "greener" flooring material (i.e., cork's significantly
lower replacement frequency compared to carpet). Notice the abundance
of daylight entering the space; use electric lights only when needed.
Wastewater leach field
Location: New Forest
None of LVEC's wastewater and sewage is being treated in a central
Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). Similar in its function to small
residential gray water systems, the wastewater is instead pumped
into a system of subterranean pipes in our new forest, where it
seeps into the ground. There, microbes and other organisms take
advantage of the nutrients in the "waste," while the purified water
recharges our local ground water aquifer. While efficient in their
operation, conventional WWTPs still use large amounts of chemicals*
and energy to treat waste water, while also generating large amounts
of sewage sludge, which in turn typically gets incinerated or applied
as fertilizer on farms (still causing some chemical pollution there).
*FeCl3, Cl2, So2, NaOCl, CaCO3 Sustainability tips: § Only use 100%
biodegradable soaps, shampoos, detergents, etc. § Keep rain water
out of sewage system, but infiltrate right on site.
Tea water maker
Location: Lodge
This tea water maker has been insulated very well (R-11) in order
to reduce energy waste to the ambient air. This also effectively
maintains the option to heat up exactly the amount of water needed
even for one single cup. The story behind it... This tea water maker
heats water with electricity and stores it inside in a vessel, ready
for instant use. Several months of mostly very low temperatures
in this space, combined with a minimally insulated tea water maker,
resulted in heat losses high enough that the internal heating element
kicked on rather frequently, causing significant energy losses to
the ambient air. However, unplugging the unit and using a tea kettle,
seems to result in additional energy waste. People very often seem
to heat up much more than just the one cup of water needed for their
hot beverage, and/or accidentally keep the water boiling for several
minutes. Use of a tea kettle has more of a global impact since the
use of propane in the stove burners depletes non-renewable energies
and contributes to climate change through global warming emissions.
The impact from using the electric tea water maker is more regional.
Since about 75% of the local power grid is hydropower, there are
hydro-dam related habitat destruction issues.
Solar Hot Water Panels
Location: Below Lodge
These panels use solar energy to heat water. Different from photovoltaic
panels, which generate electricity, this much more cost-effective
method uses the sun's short-wave radiation to heat the water inside
the black panels. This is supported significantly by the greenhouse
effect of the glass panes which transform short-wave into long-wave
solar radiation, the so-called "sensible heat." Taking advantage
of the thermosyphon effect, the heated water rises into the large
storage tank (behind you on the side of the lodge), effectively
buffering fluctuations of demand and supply. The panels in front
of you are tied into the electrically-heated hot water system that
provides hot water to the lodge kitchen, the showers in the bathrooms
behind the lodge, and the much-used clothes washer. With direct
sun exposure, the water heats up to about 140 degrees F, while even
on slightly overcast days it still reaches 90-100 degrees F, still
resulting in significant pre-heating of the 55 degrees-cold well-water.
This reduces the demand for utility-grid electricity noticeably.
Solar hot water systems are cost-effective for most households.
They can be used for showers, laundry, and dishwashers, especially
when replacing electricity for hot water generation. Solar hot water
is also beginning to be used for room heating, together with radiative
heating and well-insulated buildings. Sustainability tips: § Keep
panels clean and free of obstructions. § Keep showers brief during
high demand in the kitchen (before and after meal times).
Solar Shower
Location: Meadow and Cordwood Sauna Areas
This shower uses only solar energy to heat the water. Different
from photovoltaic panels, which generate electricity from solar
radiation, this much more cost-effective method uses the sun's short-wave
radiation to heat the water inside the black panels, supported significantly
by the greenhouse effect of the glass panes (transforming short-wave
into long-wave solar radiation: "sensible heat"). The hot water
tank is well insulated, keeping the water hot overnight, and can
hold enough hot water for up to 20 showers on a hot sunny summer
day. With direct sun exposure, the water heats up to about 140 degrees
F, while even on slightly overcast days it still reaches 90-100
degrees F. With all the other hot water on the property being generated
with electricity, the use of this shower saves more than 90% of
the energy used for showers elsewhere (it uses electricity only
for water pumping). This design also returns waste water directly
into the ground. This helps recharging the ground water aquifer
and keeping the "shower stall walls" (willow) in good health. Solar
hot water systems are cost-effective for most households (use for
showers, laundry, dishwashers), especially when replacing electricity
for hot water generation. Solar hot water is also beginning to be
used for room heating, together with radiative heating, and well-insulated
buildings. Sustainability tips: § Use only 100% biodegradable soaps,
shampoos, etc. § Try this shower even on partly overcast days; there
is still sufficient solar radiation for water heating.
Reduced flush volume in toilet tanks
Location: Bathrooms
Instead of replacing our toilet flush tanks with new, low-flush
tanks (1.6 Gal/flush or less), we've installed simple and cost-effective"water
displacement devices" (water-filled 1 ½ qt. milk jugs, and one well-fired
brick). This reduces the amount of potable water flushed down the
toilet by about 40% (2.4 quarts) which in turn saves not only water,
but also the electricity needed to pump and pressurize the water
first, and then pump the sewage into our leachfield. The reduced
flush volume has not caused any back-ups or other problems in our
sewage pipe system. Options for further reducing the environmental
impact of toilets are the use of rainwater and graywater from washing
machines, or composting toilets. A Life Cycle Assessment study at
the U of Michigan has shown, however, that flush toilets using reclaimed
water (as opposed to water from potable-water plants), or that send
the sewage to biological treatment systems (e.g., in leachfields),
are about as "green" as commercially available composting toilets
(which require a fan). Sustainability tips: "If it's yellow, let
it mellow*; if it's brown, flush it down." *…or just do what all the other
animals do...they urinate on the ground. This fixes nitrogen in
the soil and helps plant growth.