Our 2012 Greenhouse

DesignBy Molly Beegoo, Cara

Cashman, and Jen Petras

Our Power Supplier• Geothermal Plant- thermal energy

that is generated and held in the Earth (thermal= heat).

GeothermalAdvantages–Does not

produce pollution–Seldom impact

on the environment–The energy is

practically free once a power supplier is built–Fuel is not

needed.

Disadvantages–Hazardous waste

may find its way up to the surface (could be hard to get rid of properly)–Limited places

where you can establish a power station (many factors plug into it).

Our Elements

Straw Bale Insulation• Straw bale is a renewable resource,

is at low cost, and high insulation value.

• The bales typically consist of wheat, oats, rye, and rice straw.

• Maintenance needed is replastering the walls in order to keep the insulation secure.

• In order to keep water out, a layer of plaster is needed so that no water can seep into the insulation. – The plaster is also used to keep mice

out.

Sustainable Bamboo Flooring

• Is harder than regular flooring, and would be an efficient flooring when labs are done in the cabin.

• Is a renewable resource.• Grows faster than regular wood

because it is actually a type of grass, not wood.

• Pesticides for bamboo is not required.

Passive Solar• Made to collect and store heat.• Heats the home in the winter/ Heat is

refused in the summer.• Our goal for our roofing is to make ½ of the

roof a “green roof”, while the other ½ is solar.– Our solar ½ will be composed of a window that

covers the entire portion of that ½ of the ceiling. – All of the windows throughout the cabin will be

tinted so that in the summer time it will not be as warm.

Natural Lighting• Our goal is to put numerous large

windows throughout the cabin so that our main source of light is the sun.–We plan to tint the windows so that it

gives the cabin a rustic feel to it.

Green Roof• Is a roof that is covered partially or fully by plants.• The maintenance needed for the green roof will

consist of periodically monitoring the green roof for things like invasive weeds. – As long as drought tolerant plants are what is chosen for

the green roof, there is minimal maintenance needed.• Can be used to absorb rainwater, be used an

insulation.• Our goal is to use an extensive roof (light layer of plants and are

not as heavy as the intensive roofs), so that the water that is absorbed by the vegetation can be drained into our rain barrels.

Fly-ash Bricks• Are bricks that consist of fly-ash

(particle generated from combustion) and water.

• Is at low cost.• Little seepage has been found when

using these types of bricks.• Our goal is to use this type of brick for the

walls of the cabin, which we will then plaster and then paint a dark brown for the rustic feel of a cabin.

Rain Barrels• Used to collect rain water from

rooftops (our green roof) or gutters.• This water will be used for our labs. If

there is a time where we ever need hot water, we can simply boil it.

Composting Toilet• Uses small amounts of water to get

rid of waste.• Excretion is normally mixed with

sawdust, peat moss, and other materials to get rid of the odor.

Concrete Barrier• Our goal is to create an underground

concrete barrier that is two feet deep/ two feet wide so that the groundhogs will be unable to find there way under the cabin.

Our Measurements• Porch width- Thirty-five feet• Height of Porch- Two feet• House width- Twenty-three feet• House length- Thirty-six feet– These measurements are important

because these are the same measurements that will be used for the cabin.

• Because of minor complications, our group was unable to attain all of the measurements needed.Sorry about the tape measure Mrs. Loch!!!