Unconventional Building

The use of unconventional designs and materials has a benefit which has much to do with the doing as little damage to the environment.  The basic enclosure will strive to utilize and store free solar energy from the sun.  In the future, we hope to pair this enclosure with a solar and wind generator to be energy independent.  The purposes of these unconventional practices is to maximize the usage of solar energy (heat) for year round growth.  

Passive Solar Design

​
This solar greenhouse is attached to an existing structure.  The shape of the greenhouse is designed to capture the greatest amount of solar energy.  Materials like water and concrete will store solar energy in the form of heat and radiate it out into the greenhouse when the sun begins to set.

Ground Heating Storage

Another way to store solar heat is to put into the ground.  The soil below will be used as a battery.  Using PVC piping buried into the ground, a fan system will push the excess heat into the ground.  The thermostat will sense that the temperature is beginning to drop and can activate the fan system.  This brings the warm air back into the enclosure.  

---

Rocket Mass Stove

Should the two before mentioned practices fail to maintain the stable temperatures needed for growth this active heating method will be able to efficiently heat the greenhouse.  This stove burns wood clean and distributes the heat to the mass surrounding the exhaust.  In most traditional fires, most of the heat is lost to the atmosphere while in the rocket mass stoves the heat is transferred to the mass and radiates out for hours.