Project description:
The passive Solar Home project is to design a tiny house that is less than 1000 sq feet while delivering the maximum efficiency with lights from the sun, and electricity. While we are designing our tiny house we did other experiments to learn more about how to use the sun or other natural resources as a energy source.
Hot water Heater:
In this experiment we have to design a water heater only using the sun to gather energy to provide hot water to the whole house. Our design is to use cover the whole inside of the box in tin foil to reflect all the sunlight onto the plastic water bottle in the center of the box; we have to use ceramic wrap to cover the box up to prevent heat escaping from the box.
The passive Solar Home project is to design a tiny house that is less than 1000 sq feet while delivering the maximum efficiency with lights from the sun, and electricity. While we are designing our tiny house we did other experiments to learn more about how to use the sun or other natural resources as a energy source.
Hot water Heater:
In this experiment we have to design a water heater only using the sun to gather energy to provide hot water to the whole house. Our design is to use cover the whole inside of the box in tin foil to reflect all the sunlight onto the plastic water bottle in the center of the box; we have to use ceramic wrap to cover the box up to prevent heat escaping from the box.
Day lighting techniques and experimental house:
In this experiment we have to use different techniques to improve electricity consumption, and bring in more light inside the house. We found out that big windows, light shelves, and skylight work best for us because these samples provided the best lighting results inside each rooms.
In this experiment we have to use different techniques to improve electricity consumption, and bring in more light inside the house. We found out that big windows, light shelves, and skylight work best for us because these samples provided the best lighting results inside each rooms.
Materials Heat Lab:
For our tiny house we have to test out various building material to see how the absorb heat and the ability to retain that heat. From all the material we test The material that i recommend for the interior wall of the tiny house is white drywall because it stayed colder than other materials we tested, and the temperature increase is gradual. The experiment was to test various building materials and test how they heat up after exposed to a 125 watt heat lamp over a 10 minute time. We record data points at 0 min after exposure, 5 minutes after exposure time, and lastly 10 minutes after exposure. We found that white drywall was the best material because the temperature increase was gradual at the 5 minute and 10 minute marks, This means this material have a high heat capacity which means the material can increase its temperature over a longer time and more gradual increase. The white drywall stayed at a lower temperature than the other material which means your room can stay cooler at the hot summer days.
For our tiny house we have to test out various building material to see how the absorb heat and the ability to retain that heat. From all the material we test The material that i recommend for the interior wall of the tiny house is white drywall because it stayed colder than other materials we tested, and the temperature increase is gradual. The experiment was to test various building materials and test how they heat up after exposed to a 125 watt heat lamp over a 10 minute time. We record data points at 0 min after exposure, 5 minutes after exposure time, and lastly 10 minutes after exposure. We found that white drywall was the best material because the temperature increase was gradual at the 5 minute and 10 minute marks, This means this material have a high heat capacity which means the material can increase its temperature over a longer time and more gradual increase. The white drywall stayed at a lower temperature than the other material which means your room can stay cooler at the hot summer days.
Tiny House:
Wind Turbine Lab:
In this experiment we have to design a wind turbine and try to find which design spin the fastest and generate the most electricity.
In this experiment we have to design a wind turbine and try to find which design spin the fastest and generate the most electricity.
Blueprints:
Concepts:
Radiation: Radiation is a method of heat transfer that does not rely upon any contact between the heat source and the heated object as is the case with conduction and convection.
Conduction: Transfer of heat through physical contact.
Convection: Convection is heat transfer by mass motion of a fluid such as air or water when the heated fluid is caused to move away from the source of heat, carrying energy with it.
Heat: A form of energy associated with the movement of atoms and molecules in any material.
Specific Heat Capacity: Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance per unit of mass.
Insulation: Insulation reduces unwanted heat loss or gain and can decrease the energy demands of heating and cooling systems.
Day lighting techniques:
Light shelves: A light shelf is a horizontal surface that reflects daylight deep into a building.
Clerestory windows: These are windows on the south side of the house near the roof. They are able to let more light in.
Solar Tubes: Used to harvest daylight through a dome at the roof and transfer it down a reflective tube through a diffuser in the ceiling.
Skylights: A window installed in a roof or ceiling.
South facing windows: A window facing south for light gathering reason.
Radiation: Radiation is a method of heat transfer that does not rely upon any contact between the heat source and the heated object as is the case with conduction and convection.
Conduction: Transfer of heat through physical contact.
Convection: Convection is heat transfer by mass motion of a fluid such as air or water when the heated fluid is caused to move away from the source of heat, carrying energy with it.
Heat: A form of energy associated with the movement of atoms and molecules in any material.
Specific Heat Capacity: Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance per unit of mass.
Insulation: Insulation reduces unwanted heat loss or gain and can decrease the energy demands of heating and cooling systems.
Day lighting techniques:
Light shelves: A light shelf is a horizontal surface that reflects daylight deep into a building.
Clerestory windows: These are windows on the south side of the house near the roof. They are able to let more light in.
Solar Tubes: Used to harvest daylight through a dome at the roof and transfer it down a reflective tube through a diffuser in the ceiling.
Skylights: A window installed in a roof or ceiling.
South facing windows: A window facing south for light gathering reason.
Solar Angles:
The Earth is tilted at a certain angle and as we orbit around the sun the tilt stays the same. In the summer the tilt is facing the sun, and in the winter the tilt is facing away from the sun. In summer the tilt is closer to the sun so is results in greater angle, and it is exact opposite for winter.
Reflection:
In this Project I learned that there many techniques for letting light inside your house for example light shelves, clerestory windows, solar tubes, and skylights. Also i learned everything have a specific heat capacity which mean some objects holds heat well for example water, and some object is horrible at hold in heat for example aluminum.
For this project I made many "hard contribution" to my group like helping with the blueprint, Working on the 3-D model, help to finish materials sheet, and researching different furniture for our tiny house. I also made many "soft contributions" to my group like making sure every one is on task, and making discussions. No human been is ever perfect, so i also think there is many things that I can improve like my attitude towards some of my group members can be improved, and be more on task my self.
In this Projects, among our group some things went well some things went bad. Lets start off with the good things, we had very good team work we had group member in check on each other to make sure that we are on task. Also we made sure everything is perfect. Then off to the bad part. Our time management is horrible we have to make a hard push at very end. And members of the group is constantly not on task so the other members have always make sure the are on task.
In this Project I learned that there many techniques for letting light inside your house for example light shelves, clerestory windows, solar tubes, and skylights. Also i learned everything have a specific heat capacity which mean some objects holds heat well for example water, and some object is horrible at hold in heat for example aluminum.
For this project I made many "hard contribution" to my group like helping with the blueprint, Working on the 3-D model, help to finish materials sheet, and researching different furniture for our tiny house. I also made many "soft contributions" to my group like making sure every one is on task, and making discussions. No human been is ever perfect, so i also think there is many things that I can improve like my attitude towards some of my group members can be improved, and be more on task my self.
In this Projects, among our group some things went well some things went bad. Lets start off with the good things, we had very good team work we had group member in check on each other to make sure that we are on task. Also we made sure everything is perfect. Then off to the bad part. Our time management is horrible we have to make a hard push at very end. And members of the group is constantly not on task so the other members have always make sure the are on task.