A zero impact home is a home that uses no heating, fossil fuels, or electricity that can harm the earth. In addition, a zero impact home only uses natural resources and tools to reduce polluting the atmosphere. Reducing fossil fuel and not using them is good for the environment because if we use them we are releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. Releasing CO2 is bad for the environment because it traps the heat so the heat cannot remit back into the atmosphere. This causes a rise in temperature to the climate and makes the earth warmer. In addition, reducing electricity and heating is good for the environment because if we did not then we would be releasing non-renuable sources into the atmosphere and polluting it. Over using to much water is bad for the environment because if you live in an area that does not have a lot water, and you use a lot of it there there will be none left for the animals and plants. This may cause plants to die and a decrease in the animals. If you are depended on water in an area that does not have a lot of it then you cannot use water as a source of electricity or in other words making electricity in a non polluted way. If you use a lot of water in an area that has a lot of water and rain is a bad thing because the ground is all ready soaked with water and by us adding more water into the ground it creates a better chance for a land or mud slide. Site considerations like climate information and path of sun are important in designing a zero impact home because you want to get the most natural sunlight and use of your house so that you don't have to go to fossil fuels or other things that would make it not a zero impact home. If you do not take the suns path into consideration when designing your zero impact home then you will not be able to get that natural light as much as possible. Furthermore, if you do not take your climate information into consideration then your home might not be ready for what ever climate you are living in. For example, if you live in a place that has a lot of earthquakes and you do not make your zero impact home right to prevent damage from them then your house is going to collapse. Overall, it is critical to take into consideration your climate information and the path of the sun when designing your zero impact home.
Site Considerations
The average temp is 29.9 degrees celsius.
The yearly temp range is
The hottest temperature in July is 15.9 degrees celsius.
The coldest temp in January is 3 degrees celsius.
The average rainfall is 128.9 (mm)
The rainiest month is March and we get 151.9 (mm)
The driest month is in October and we get 81.7 (mm)
Major rain seasons are January through March.
Climograph:
Path of our Sun
In the pictures below we see that during the summer (June 21) the sunrise direction is rising in the North East at a height of 78.9 degrees. In addition, during the summer the sun sets in the North West at 300 degrees at a height of 78.9. During the winter (December 21st) the sunrise direction is rising in the South East at 118 degrees at a height of 31.5 degrees. In addition, during the winter the sun is setting in the South West at 242 degrees at a height of 31.5 degrees.
Design Features
We can use a rain barrel to collect water we get when it rains and therefore we could use that water for washing clothes, dishes, things that normally use fossil fuels, ect...
Using a clothes line instead of a dryer we can limit the use of fossil fuels to help not produce CO2 into the atmosphere and instead dry clothes naturally using no fossil fuels what so ever.
The peices of broken sticks are our fire wood that we use to create heat in our fireplace. Instead of using a gas heater or a heater that uses fossil fuels this way creates natural heat and eliminates the use of fossil fuels.
The piece of yellow construction paper is our overhang that allows the sun's rays from the winter to come in so we can get more heat and blocks out the summer sun so we do not get to much heat during the summer when it is hot out.
The piece of bent paper with tin foil on them is our solar panels that are pointing south and tilting at 25 degrees because that is were we get the most sunlight and take in the most sunlight. Using these solar panels to create electricity from the sun's rays it much more earth friendly because we are not using fossil fuels, which pollutes the air.
Inside our Zero Impact Home we have flourecent light bulbs. These bulbs are better than normal light bulbs like the one seen on your right because it saves energy by using less energy, helps save money, and most importantly helps protect the envioment from producing those harmful green house gases that impacts climate change.
In addition, inside our house we have "green" insulation. Its "green" becuase it is made up of recycled materials, which makes it less harmfall to earth, while keeping the heat in during the winter.
Having white walls in our house rahter than black is better to have because white reflects most of the suns rays kepping inside cool. If we had black walls inside would be a lot more hotter because the color black takes in the sun's rays rather then refecting it than most of the other colors, which heats it up fast creating heat.
Zero Impact Home Project
Chattanooga, Tennessee
35.03 N, 82.80 W
Why build "Zero" Impact Homes?
A zero impact home is a home that uses no heating, fossil fuels, or electricity that can harm the earth. In addition, a zero impact home only uses natural resources and tools to reduce polluting the atmosphere. Reducing fossil fuel and not using them is good for the environment because if we use them we are releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. Releasing CO2 is bad for the environment because it traps the heat so the heat cannot remit back into the atmosphere. This causes a rise in temperature to the climate and makes the earth warmer. In addition, reducing electricity and heating is good for the environment because if we did not then we would be releasing non-renuable sources into the atmosphere and polluting it. Over using to much water is bad for the environment because if you live in an area that does not have a lot water, and you use a lot of it there there will be none left for the animals and plants. This may cause plants to die and a decrease in the animals. If you are depended on water in an area that does not have a lot of it then you cannot use water as a source of electricity or in other words making electricity in a non polluted way. If you use a lot of water in an area that has a lot of water and rain is a bad thing because the ground is all ready soaked with water and by us adding more water into the ground it creates a better chance for a land or mud slide. Site considerations like climate information and path of sun are important in designing a zero impact home because you want to get the most natural sunlight and use of your house so that you don't have to go to fossil fuels or other things that would make it not a zero impact home. If you do not take the suns path into consideration when designing your zero impact home then you will not be able to get that natural light as much as possible. Furthermore, if you do not take your climate information into consideration then your home might not be ready for what ever climate you are living in. For example, if you live in a place that has a lot of earthquakes and you do not make your zero impact home right to prevent damage from them then your house is going to collapse. Overall, it is critical to take into consideration your climate information and the path of the sun when designing your zero impact home.
Site Considerations
Path of our Sun
In the pictures below we see that during the summer (June 21) the sunrise direction is rising in the North East at a height of 78.9 degrees. In addition, during the summer the sun sets in the North West at 300 degrees at a height of 78.9. During the winter (December 21st) the sunrise direction is rising in the South East at 118 degrees at a height of 31.5 degrees. In addition, during the winter the sun is setting in the South West at 242 degrees at a height of 31.5 degrees.
Design Features
We can use a rain barrel to collect water we get when it rains and therefore we could use that water for washing clothes, dishes, things that normally use fossil fuels, ect...
Using a clothes line instead of a dryer we can limit the use of fossil fuels to help not produce CO2 into the atmosphere and instead dry clothes naturally using no fossil fuels what so ever.
The peices of broken sticks are our fire wood that we use to create heat in our fireplace. Instead of using a gas heater or a heater that uses fossil fuels this way creates natural heat and eliminates the use of fossil fuels.
The piece of yellow construction paper is our overhang that allows the sun's rays from the winter to come in so we can get more heat and blocks out the summer sun so we do not get to much heat during the summer when it is hot out.
The piece of bent paper with tin foil on them is our solar panels that are pointing south and tilting at 25 degrees because that is were we get the most sunlight and take in the most sunlight. Using these solar panels to create electricity from the sun's rays it much more earth friendly because we are not using fossil fuels, which pollutes the air.
Inside our Zero Impact Home we have flourecent light bulbs. These bulbs are better than normal light bulbs like the one seen on your right because it saves energy by using less energy, helps save money, and most importantly helps protect the envioment from producing those harmful green house gases that impacts climate change.
In addition, inside our house we have "green" insulation. Its "green" becuase it is made up of recycled materials, which makes it less harmfall to earth, while keeping the heat in during the winter.
Having white walls in our house rahter than black is better to have because white reflects most of the suns rays kepping inside cool. If we had black walls inside would be a lot more hotter because the color black takes in the sun's rays rather then refecting it than most of the other colors, which heats it up fast creating heat.
Site Plan & Pictures of our House
Birds eye view
Side view
Full view of house
Floor Plan