Re: Guth Venus / Brad Guth and the geothermal planet (5 Gold Star Rating *****)

[Brad Guth]

On Oct 25, 4:45 pm, William Mook <mokmedi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Brad,
>
> Just because the house doesn't NEED more than 500 watts, doesn't mean
> the power system is limiting it or that the home owners are giving up
> on anything in any way.
>
> http://ravenrocks.org/Subterrraneans/Sidwell_house/index.html
>
> An underground home outfitted with low power refrigerators, efficient
> lights, and so forth, doesn't NEED more than 500 Watts.  That's
> primarily due to fact its UNDERGROUND and its a constant 52F
> throughout the year.  So, the heat balance is designed in to maintain
> 72F year round with very little energy.
>
> The power system feeding the homes produce substantially more power
> than is required by the homes.  The excess is used to power hydrogen
> fueled automobiles modified by Rocky Mountain Institute back in the
> day.
>
> Not only do the homes have ZERO energy cost, the automobiles have ZERO
> fuel cost, except when they travel cross-country, then they burn
> regular petrol.
>
> http://ravenrocks.org/Subterrraneans/Locust_Hill/index.html

So, is there a secret or some other reasons as to why you don't happen
live in any one of those energy efficient homes of “ZERO energy cost”?

Give us the full specs and sales pitch brochure, and please don't make
us have hunt or guess at the usable interior sf and of course the all-
inclusive closing price.

Going by the amount of rebar rust, I'd say they'd been kind of stuck
for at least 5 years as of taking this following image, and none of
that construction is suggestive of any highly insulative concrete
configuration, and otherwise not using coated rebar isn't allowed by
most commercial building codes.
http://ravenrocks.org/Subterrraneans/Locust_Hill_photos/Pages/8.html

The more I see, the more questions I seem to have. Some of those
images are actually quite worrisome, not to mention the 20 degree
thermal differential of 52/72 which isn't exactly going to be always
favorable unless you are constructing a 52 degree temperature
stabilized root cellar that always has half or less O2. Sorry about
that, though I do like earthen homes because I honestly believe all
private single family homes need to at least have a nearly bullet
proof kind of safe-room or simply fully usable and rebar enhanced
basement/foundation that’s water tight and relatively storm proof,
because nowadays most homes are frankly less than crackerbox worthy
and highly flammable (I mean, what’s up with that?).

http://translate.google.com/#
Brad Guth, Brad_Guth, Brad.Guth, BradGuth, BG / “Guth Usenet”

[William Mook]

On Oct 26, 7:53 am, Brad Guth <bradg...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Oct 25, 4:45 pm,WilliamMook<mokmedi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Brad,
>
> > Just because the house doesn't NEED more than 500 watts, doesn't mean
> > the power system is limiting it or that the home owners are giving up
> > on anything in any way.
>
> >http://ravenrocks.org/Subterrraneans/Sidwell_house/index.html
>
> > An underground home outfitted with low power refrigerators, efficient
> > lights, and so forth, doesn't NEED more than 500 Watts.  That's
> > primarily due to fact its UNDERGROUND and its a constant 52F
> > throughout the year.  So, the heat balance is designed in to maintain
> > 72F year round with very little energy.
>
> > The power system feeding the homes produce substantially more power
> > than is required by the homes.  The excess is used to power hydrogen
> > fueled automobiles modified by Rocky Mountain Institute back in the
> > day.
>
> > Not only do the homes have ZERO energy cost, the automobiles have ZERO
> > fuel cost, except when they travel cross-country, then they burn
> > regular petrol.
>
> >http://ravenrocks.org/Subterrraneans/Locust_Hill/index.html
>
> So, is there a secret

Not especially.

or some other reasons as to why you don't happen
> live in any one of those energy efficient homes of “ZERO energy cost”?

Because I'm in New Zealand right now building another house.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/63455302/Catalano-Beach-House

>
> Give us the full specs and sales pitch brochure, and please don't make
> us have hunt or guess at the usable interior sf and of course the all-
> inclusive closing price.

You can contact the architect, Malcolm Wells here;

http://www.malcolmwells.com/designs.html

The largest underground building he has completed is 72,000 square
feet iirc.

> Going by the amount of rebar rust, I'd say they'd been kind of stuck
> for at least 5 years as of taking this following image, and none of
> that construction is suggestive of any highly insulative concrete
> configuration, and otherwise not using coated rebar isn't allowed by
> most commercial building codes.
>  http://ravenrocks.org/Subterrraneans/Locust_Hill_photos/Pages/8.html

Your ability to extract and interpret data from limited photography is
legendary.

> The more I see, the more questions I seem to have.  

Of course you do.

> Some of those
> images are actually quite worrisome, not to mention the 20 degree
> thermal differential of 52/72 which isn't exactly going to be always
> favorable unless you are constructing a 52 degree temperature
> stabilized root cellar that always has half or less O2.  

Air and heat exchange combined with heat balance with the environment
is really rather simple to maintain, especially when combined with hot
water heating inside the house.

You can find out more here;

http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/designing_remodeling/index.cfm/mytopic=10110

> Sorry about
> that, though I do like earthen homes because I honestly believe all
> private single family homes need to at least have a nearly bullet
> proof kind of safe-room or simply fully usable and rebar enhanced
> basement/foundation that’s water tight and relatively storm proof

No need to apologize. Bullet proof. Yes. The entire house has all
the features you mention, plus being very soundproof from the outside
world and very private. Locust Hill has two green houses to extend
all these to closed cycle food production and water recycling.

,
> because nowadays most homes are frankly less than crackerbox worthy
> and highly flammable (I mean, what’s up with that?).

I tend to agree about the soundness of construction. Disagree about
the flammability based on the applicable codes.

[Brad Guth]

Just what I thought, they have nothing anyone can nail down. In other
words, it's all extremely spendy and no independent clients outside of
their own insider group of wealthy pretenders, much like yourself.
Obviously there are no local jobs, so at best it's a spendy retirement
community along with spendy monthly or annual membership fees.

>
> > Going by the amount of rebar rust, I'd say they'd been kind of stuck
> > for at least 5 years as of taking this following image, and none of
> > that construction is suggestive of any highly insulative concrete
> > configuration, and otherwise not using coated rebar isn't allowed by
> > most commercial building codes.
> > http://ravenrocks.org/Subterrraneans/Locust_Hill_photos/Pages/8.html
>
> Your ability to extract and interpret data from limited photography is
> legendary.
>
> > The more I see, the more questions I seem to have.
>
> Of course you do.
>
> > Some of those
> > images are actually quite worrisome, not to mention the 20 degree
> > thermal differential of 52/72 which isn't exactly going to be always
> > favorable unless you are constructing a 52 degree temperature
> > stabilized root cellar that always has half or less O2.
>
> Air and heat exchange combined with heat balance with the environment
> is really rather simple to maintain, especially when combined with hot
> water heating inside the house.
>
> You can find out more here;
>

> http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/designing_remodeling/index.cfm/...

>
> > Sorry about
> > that, though I do like earthen homes because I honestly believe all
> > private single family homes need to at least have a nearly bullet
> > proof kind of safe-room or simply fully usable and rebar enhanced
> > basement/foundation that’s water tight and relatively storm proof
>
> No need to apologize. Bullet proof. Yes. The entire house has all
> the features you mention, plus being very soundproof from the outside
> world and very private. Locust Hill has two green houses to extend
> all these to closed cycle food production and water recycling.
>
> ,
>
> > because nowadays most homes are frankly less than crackerbox worthy
> > and highly flammable (I mean, what’s up with that?).
>
> I tend to agree about the soundness of construction. Disagree about
> the flammability based on the applicable codes.

New homes that supposedly comply to all safety codes can burn to the
ground in 15 minutes, and of course this is partially due to the
flammability of it's chipboard construction and plastics, plus decor
and personal items and of course those fancy gadgets that seemingly
everyone has to have, and then they wonder why their home burns
quickly down or just the fumes kill within a few minutes. What a
joke, and most yachts are even worse.

I've known how to design and construct a nearly bullet-proof and
extremely fancy as well as energy efficient home for under $200/sf, or
even make that as little as $100/sf if you don't mind it being kept
simple and on a tight little lot (meaning city water, sewer and
power). Good property is no longer cheap, especially if it has its
very own water and a good septic field which kind of requires a
minimum of a couple acres per home, or possibly one acre if a
community well is configured, and remember that not all land perks for
a suitable septic drain field.

Spendy potties that compost are perfectly terrific if you don't mind
their extra stink and maintenance. Gray water recovery systems are
also nifty if you don't mind their added expense and maintenance.

It's looking as though your alternative can run $500/sf (including its
property and all local assessments). Remember that your property cost
has to includes roads, street lighting plus all related community
infrastructure cost or assessments (just like conventional homes that
also require having fire, police and school district cost that'll need
to get paid by somebody)

BTW; without local jobs that offer full-time with good medical and
retirement benefits plus paying at least double minimum starting wage,
no earthen home is affordable to anyone other than oligarchs,
Rothschilds and the independently wealthy that pay little if any state
or federal income taxes, like yourself.

Are we suggesting this type of construction would work for the planet
Venus?

Obviously good thermal insulation, heat exchanging and air
conditioning would be a very high priority on Venus, although being
energy efficient isn't so much of a problem when it's nearly too cheap
to meter.