ecotecho
SIPs, Natural conditioning and passive solar heating
Natural conditioning, ie, passive solar heating, uses sun, site orientation terrain and natural qualities of building materials to block, absorb, store and circulate naturally conditioned air.
Masonry heaters and stoves (Grundöfen, Kakelugn, Kakelöfen, Russian stove, Finnish stove, llar, fogón, lumbre, estufa, lePanyol) provide the most cost-effective and healthy means to supplement heat and maintain even temperature without resorting to expensive and inefficient oil, gas or electric furnaces and heaters. Masonry heaters and stoves condition interiors through radiation rather than dry, dusty convection. Sun oriented buildings that are constructed with high insulation value SIPs and quality windows, and then heated by properly constructed masonry heaters will significantly lower, even eliminate, heating costs.
SIPs houses are so well-insulated and sealed that in colder climates, where open window ventilation during winter months is not economically feasible, a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) is recommended. In typically constructed houses, there is normally sufficient air infiltration through poor quality windows, doors and shoddy wall and roof construction that air exchange isn't much of an issue. This is because when most houses were built, energy costs were much lower than consctruction costs. That has now changed. A small inexpensive HRV will automatically exchange air throughout the entire house. We install Nu-Air units (http://www.nu-airventilation.com) as these have Spanish and other European-built electrical components and are compatible with European current.