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RobertSmalls · 12-13-2009, 06:20 PM

Google "Passivhaus" for information on very well insulated houses that barely need to be heated. If you can build a passive house in Sweden, you can build one in Michigan. Of course, a ground source heat pump or solar radiant floor heating would be more cost-effective. Or wood. I suppose that's renewable biomass energy, right?

Thanks to the wasteful tennants downstairs, I have free radiant floor heating. My measurements (thermal probe in the wall) indicate their thermostat is set to 72-74°F, and the lady of the house wears a tank top and shorts in the middle of winter.

Ugh. But their loss is my gain. As long as it's above 30 out, it stays >62 in here, and I haven't turned the furnace on yet this year. I may not need to until January, if my IMA battery refurbishment throws off as much heat as I expect it to (300-1000W).

12-13-2009, 06:20 PM	#9 (permalink)
RobertSmalls Left Lane Ecodriver Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY, USA Posts: 2,257 Prius C - '12 Toyota Prius C Thanks: 79 Thanked 286 Times in 199 Posts	Google "Passivhaus" for information on very well insulated houses that barely need to be heated. If you can build a passive house in Sweden, you can build one in Michigan. Of course, a ground source heat pump or solar radiant floor heating would be more cost-effective. Or wood. I suppose that's renewable biomass energy, right? Thanks to the wasteful tennants downstairs, I have free radiant floor heating. My measurements (thermal probe in the wall) indicate their thermostat is set to 72-74°F, and the lady of the house wears a tank top and shorts in the middle of winter. Ugh. But their loss is my gain. As long as it's above 30 out, it stays >62 in here, and I haven't turned the furnace on yet this year. I may not need to until January, if my IMA battery refurbishment throws off as much heat as I expect it to (300-1000W).