[TheForge] new shed design and other ramblings

[terry l. ridder]

hello;

i am attempting to build an environmentally friendly shop. i would like
to keep the carbon footprint for the shop as small as possible. i am
trying to use recycled materials in building the shed to being with.

i am looking at either producing all the 3-phase electrical power that i
would need for the shop using a marine diesel 3-phase 240 volt generator
or cut back on power requirements and produce the electricity using
solar panels on the shed roof and a wind turbine. i have the marine
diesel all ready i would have to purchase the solar panels and wind
turbine. i have not reached a final decision on the electrical system.

i would like to have the new shed off grid if at all possible. that way
i am able to control the cost of producing the electricity for the shed.
i have looked at the commonwealth edison offer and it is just loaded
with fees and charges. there is the metering charge, distribution
facilities charge, transmission services charge, electricity supply
charge, purchased electricity adjustment charge, environmental cost
recovery adjustment, energy efficiency programs charge, etc. there is
even a charge is i do not use the 3-phase equipment often enough.

if i include the cost of the equipment to produce the 3-phase electrical
power it is clear that i would not break even for many years.

i am looking at putting radiant heat in the concrete portion of the new
shed floor. the heating system will be a wood/coal boiler/stove. i have
not decided on just how the new shed will be cooled or even if it will
be cooled. i may go with the new generation of spot coolers to cool the
location of the shed where creature comforts are required.

i have looked at the ground water heating and cooling systems but the
requirement for using a double walled heat exchanger is a killer. i can
understand the need to protect the ground water from contamination put
there are other ways to do that other than using a double wall heat
exchanger. a double walled heat exchanger is twice as large as a single
wall heat exchanger.


-- 
terry l. ridder ><>