Would you build these?
Question:http://www.oneearthdesign.com/solar_home...
http://www.buildingwithawareness.com/ind...
Answers:
The first site: no. I live in the Great Lakes region of the United States, so those homes would be impractical for me. The second site: yes.
Sure, in structure they're as valid as any other.
The problem with Solar is not only in storing any energy attained, or the fact that the Sun does set, and Rain and cluds do happen, but also in the cost for enough collectors to do an adequate job over each 24 hour period.
I live in Florida. Many homes here use Solar for water heating... and pool heating...But not many people can afford a Solar array large enough to power a home, especially given that in a climate that gets more SUN, more HEAT occurs too.
It's pretty obvious to the Scientific community that we are in Deep Doo environmentally speaking, and certainly there is nothing wrong with finding and using ways to save energy and money that energy costs.
In large measure,,,to date,,, energy saving items take awhile to pay for themselves. Hybrid cars are a good example, and I'm not knocking any, but to pay $30,000 for a car that REPORTS to get 60 MPG (which is in lab tests) seems to me that the vehicle would have to last me 10 years at least to pay for itself.
Any efforts to bring the World to a higher level of conciousness regarding SAVING it, are valid, and in the process hopefully one can save money, but that should be less the issue.
Steven Wolf
If your solar unit produces more electricity than you use, your electric meter just runs backwards and your local utility pays you for it. You don't "store" it. In California they have to pay the highest rate.
The adobe houses as long as they are in NM would be ok if you like the way they look. as far as straw bale houses well no.
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