I’m living in phoenix and wondering what type of residential construction (cmu, straw bail, ICF, etc.) would handle the heat the best. My power bills are better than 200 bucks pretty much year round.
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What’s an energy efficient type of construction for a desert climate?
I’m living in phoenix and wondering what type of residential construction (cmu, straw bail, ICF, etc.) would handle the heat the best. My power bills are better than 200 bucks pretty much year round.
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well you are a prime candidate for solar power. many people in new mexico are catching and saving rain water for washing cloths, showers pretty much anything but drinking.
insulation is an important one and i don’t know much about that – hope someone can help you.
you may want to do a search on earth ships – these are homes that are built to be off the grid.
The earthship. It uses passive solar heating and thermal mass to efficiently heat and cool your home.
Adobe construction, the indians used it, the first mexicans used it, it works, it just doesn’t fit the norm. Really, who cares about the norm if you can live comfortably and inexpensive in the desert invironment.
An underground house.
Barring that, careful site selection and landscaping are also important.
As far as the house itself, there’s nothing wrong with a well insulated conventional house. Solar power for electricity and hot water would seem to be a good idea.
I have no experience in Arizona but I have worked in auto dealerships in Wisconsin for many years in parts dept’s and was always struck by how cool the dept’s were in summer temps in relation to outside temps with no a/c. They are usually constructed of cinder-block walls and concrete ceilings and are usually 15-20 degrees cooler inside. I imagine that a method of building a house with thick walls that don’t absorb heat well and have an air gap and circulation between them and inner walls would dramatically reduce the cooling costs. Look to ancient Egyptian palace construction and heat chimneys for ideas…sort of like a house within an exterior building. Planting trees to provide shade is another way of minimizing solar heating.
Desert climate means dry climate. it is dry may be too many sun heat and too heavy wind. Other than solar power, wind power may also be a good idea in desert area. Other than this two way of natural power, you may product some power by riding bicycle at home. Put your bicycle on rack and attach an motor generator on it. But be sure the Watt and Votage of your battery and convertor is suitable for the electronic device you are using.
Phoenix is an arid desert. Yeah, I know that this sounds redundant but I’ve been in desert where the humidity was close to 100% (theTihama). You’re lucky; it’s easier for you. You want thick walls — two feet for outside walls and a foot thick for inside walls are not too much. This allows the walls to absorb heat during the day and release it at night, when the desert cools off. You want small windows to minimize the greenhouse effect. Pale colors reflect the heat during the summer. High ceilings help keep the hottest air above your head. Swamp coolers work pretty well for most of the year. Otherwise, ceiling fans are fairly energy-efficient.