SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS,INSULATION, AND PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN

University 391 / Schwartz / Fall 2012Kirsten Stabler, Victoria Carranza, Andrew, Pike Harris, Nina, Meghan Legg, Heiu Le, & Mike Miller

Location Guateca San Pablo, Guatemala

San Pablo Tacana, San Marcos, is approximately 260km from the capital Guatemala City, and sits at an elevation of about 10,000ft. 

Source: Guateca.com

Problem Statement

The people of San Pablo, Guatemala continue to build their homes in a way that creates rapid heat loss and contributes to inefficient energy usage, including but not limited to poor lighting, cold environments to sleep in, and hauling more fuel up and down the rough terrain to heat their homes.

How can San Pablo create comfortable and beautiful living spaces while being resourceful at the same time? To increase quality of life it is imperative to incorporate renewable and recyclable alternatives for building design and construction for an energy retrofit in each home.

Our Goals…

Context Shelters People & Culture Natural Resources &

Climate Quality of Life

Existing Technology New Construction vs.

Retrofit Materials

Recyclable Renewable

Precedents

People & Culture

"farmers who were carrying upwards of 200 lbs of wood each, from two-thirds of the way up the mountain…and would be doing so two or three times that day..." Source: (http://jacksthoughtrack.wordpress.com/2007/12/03/guatemala-volcan-san-pedro/)

“Different cultures around the world have developed their own techniques of building based on local resources, topography, and climate. Many of these societies produce decent living spaces, but without knowledge of modern day building techniques and materials, these current living spaces could be much improved. Our team plans on integrating our knowledge of modern day building techniques to produce a more efficient living space…”- http://appropriatetechnology.wikispaces.com/Natural+Buildings+in+San+Pablo

Feelings on using waste as a building material?

“The Mine”

Economic Prosperity?

Natural Resources & Climate Existing building materials:

Clay, Sand, Hay, Water, Corrugated Steel Adobe - sand, clay, and water with a bit of straw, twigs or

manure thrown in

Natural materials Fire wood, bamboo, cob, stones, pine needles, corn husks,

straw

Climate Max Average Temp: 78 F Max. Temp: 90 F (This week) Min Average Temp: 44 F Min. Temp: 73 F (This week) Average humidity (high): 23 Inches Average humidity (low):  2 Inches

Source: http://weather.hometownlocator.com/weather,n,san%20pablo,location,14.933:-92.cfm

Existing Technology Issues pertaining to San Pablo Residence:

Warmth (Heat Retention) Light Energy Use Technology Structural Integrity Cost Resources Location/Topography

Earthquakes Current Materials Used:

Clay Sand Hay Water Corrugated Steel

Source: http://appropriatetechnology.wikispaces.com/Natural+Buildings+in+San+Pablo

New Construction vs. Retrofit

Aspects of Guateca’s Mission Build cross-cultural community with the needs and interests of both

communities in mind. Develop sustainable technologies to meet the needs of San Pablo.

Retrofit Integrate our

research with the existing building methods.

Focusing on recyclable and renewable building materials to address current issues.

Material Investigation Recyclable "Lack of resources often prevents the problems from being

solved. This is where resourcefulness comes into play: if you don’t have what you need make do with what you already have."

- S. Shoppman

Source: http://inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-schools.html

Can the problem be a solution? Looking at used materials as insulators

Material Investigation Renewable

Cob / Mud Bricks / Adobe Different Bales Biomass – Pressed banana peels Other local organics

Source: http://www.ewbgcp.org/images/Feasibility_Biomass_Fuel_Briquettes_from_Banana_Plant_Waste.pdf

Natural Resources

Source: http://appropriatetechnology.wikispaces.com/Natural+Buildings+in+San+Pablo

Precedents Eco-Tec's Ecoparque El Zamorano, Honduras. Ecological House

Constructed with 8,000 bottles with composting toilets and a solar water heating system. The green roof can weigh 30 tons when wet and has been supported by the walls without any extra reinforcement. It is the first house in the world made from PET bottles without using cement in the walls.

Source: http://www.inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-homes.html

Precedents My Shelter Foundation

Built school house made of 9,000 plastic bottles in San Pablo, Philippines. Thousands of volunteers collected the used bottles, helped to raise awareness of the Philippines classroom shortage and participated in building the structure.

Source: http://www.inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-homes.html

Precedents Natural Building in San Pablo, Previous UNVI 391

Group Research From the research, we concluded that straw bale

construction is most efficient. Because straw is not readily accessible in the area, we have decided to use corn husks from the waste of harvested corn. In order to do this, we need to make bailers, which can be made of small amounts of wood and some screws. Custom building these bailers also enables us to build custom sized bales to fit the building design. These bales can be used to construct more quickly and efficiently than their current use of adobe. This also provides them to utilize their waste in a productive way.

Source: http://www.inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-homes.html