Mechanical systems

Delivery: radiant, forced-air and decentralized

DIY radiant floor tubing installation video

Installing a hydronic radiant floor system in a slab-on-grade floor. Here is our DIY video of how to lay down tubing for our radiant floor in the Edelweiss House. We have a 10 zone system, allowing floor temperatures in each room to be controlled independently. HePex tubing was provided by Uponor, who also use…

Renewable energy

Transparent solar panels

Transparent laminate solar cells put the fossil fuel industry on notice. When considering solar cells as thin as laminate and completely transparent, the possibilities seem endless. Imagine every glass or laminant surface in our built environment and all of our devices, large and small, harvesting solar energy. In a…

Greywater Heat Recovery

A new design in greywater heat recovery

Ecodrain is the first company we've seen to turn greywater heat recovery units on their side, making heat recovery option where it might not have been before. Greywater heat recovery for slab on grade homes - is it possible? Sustainable construction is on the move! It seems almost every day a new and innovative…

Heat pumps, geothermal and AC

Heat pumps: what they are and how they work

What is a heat pump? An energy efficient home heating system that can save money and reduce fossil fuel use. Read on to find out how heat pumps work and if they make sense for in your home. Are heat pumps really more efficient? When it comes to residential heating and cooling systems, few types of heating systems…

Plumbing and water heaters

Gray water recycling

Recycling gray water is becoming more and more commonplace. It reduces the burden on urban sewage treatment along with protecting a quickly dwindling natural resource. What is gray water? Or indeed grey water! The term 'gray water recycling' refers to all domestic waste water that is drained from sinks, showers…

Wind power

The Trinity portable wind turbine will charge your gadgets on the go.

Micro power generation such as wind turbines and other renewable energy generators are a small step towards stopping climate change. We've seen portable charging devices for personal gadgets, we've seen vertical axis wind turbines and now we have seen a marriage of the two. That's right, appropriate technology…

HRV and ERV

Choosing between an HRV and an ERV

A modern airtight home needs mechanical ventilation. The choices are Heat Recovery Ventilation or Energy Recovery Ventilation & this page explains the difference between an HRV & ERV to help choose which one you need. All homes need ventilation, whether natural or mechanical with an ERV or HRV system. Buildings and…

Plumbing and water heaters

Compost pile hot tub water heater

This is a great little video that illustrates how we are surrounded by potential energy, we just have to put a little thought into how to harness it. We found this video at Whole Systems Design, a New England based company who identify, design, and develop human habitats. In their own words from their website : "We…

Heating and cooling

How to keep homes cool without air conditioning

Some techniques that will help you reduce your A/C needs, and certainly help you stay cool in the absence of having one. How to cool a home without AC While it's true that no matter where you live, be it urban, suburban or rural, the hottest days and nights of summer may have you dreaming of coolers climates…

Solar thermal collectors

DIY solar hot water shower for the great outdoors

What could be better than an outdoor shower? If your answer is a solar powered hot water shower that you built all by yourself (or with friends), read on. Build your own solar hot water shower There are many ways to reduce hot water consumption such as solar hot water heaters, but few are as interesting and fun as…

Renewable energy

A 'Stirling' idea for charging your cell phone

Imagine charging your phone with the heat from your morning coffee. With the Epiphany onE Puck you can. The idea behind the Epiphany onE Puck is simple: use a Stirling engine powered by heat disparities (a hot or cold drink, a candle, ice, etc.) to fully charge your cell phone. Invented in the early 1800s, Stirling…