Great site and great work. Your site helps with my dream and plans for a similar home in Canada.
Question about your earth tubes. Are you concerned about the moisture in the earth tubes providing habitat for mold in the summer? I presume the winter air will be too dry to allow water to linger in the tubes. The summer, I have to assume there will be water present, as the cooling effect knocks the humidity out of the incoming humid air to the tube. Or did you incorporate some sort of technology to counter/control for this?
Greatly appreciate that you share your project online.
Allen, The earth tubes drain to daylight. I am after condensing water out of the summer air (and cooling it). A lot of people are not comfortable with this possible problem. I have designed them so they are easily cleaned. All that said – installation of an earth tube with constantly moving air (never off) should not mold (and i have conversations with earth tube owners that do claim this). We’ll see!
Hi Jason, we met at Passive House training in Urbana, 2010. I’m a CPHC now and working on a ICF PH here in the Chicago area. QUestion for you on your house: dud you insulate under the footer? In the photos it doesn’t look like it, but it seems it would be a big thermal bridge. Also, how did you air seal the wall to the footer? Finally, are you enjoying the cool weather in your toasty home? Good job, hope to see it sometime.
I had heard that the condensation could be drained out of the low end of the tube. If this is the case, what if the end of the tube lies below the water table? Could backflow occur during the rain? Can check valves be used? Any insight would be helpful.
Nice to meet you at the Columbus Green Building Forum this week. I just went through your site here and Yes, your house is most impressive. As one who did a similar project with much less useful information to start with, I appreciate what you are accomplishing. I have also spent the last eight years learning much more about building science, and have audited more than 1400 home in the Columbus area. It would be nice if the whole home construction industry moved even a few steps in the direction of the passive house standard. Just curious to know what do you estimate your final cost per square foot. With my house, I ended up at about $1.20 per sq ft, not counting my own labor (equivilent to full time for 1.5 years).
I am interested in building houses to the passive standard in Columbus, and will be in contact with you when that takes shape.
Dear Jason, Have been avidly following your construction saga and hope that things continue to progress well. I, at one point, had considered building (& duly noted your comments about financing, and being one’s own general contractor,) but at this point believe we will make an offer on an existing house in Ann Arbor (MI) area. However, it needs replacement windows; hence my interest in your exchange about Soft-Light with Tod Turner.I’m guessing that you didn’t want to mount the windows flush to the outside wall surface, but I expect that would be less of an issue for replacements into a conventional structure. Another assumption is that you went with their “Ultimate” triple pane glass (i.e. U= .17); although it may be overkill in a replacement situation.The house we are considering has hot water baseboard heat, but no air handling system, I’m considering installing a Unico high velocity air handlers, in the basement and attic, supplied by a single chiller. My question is whether to install a UltimateAir RecoupAerator® (or two?) into the the Unico’s return duct, or as a separate, stand-alone installation?One last item of curiosity, have you considered writing up your experience for publication (e.g. Fine Homebuilding)? You already have the illustrations from the Blog. If time is an issue, you might be able to do it in an interview format.In any case, keep up the good work, we’re cheering for you… JohnB
Hi Jason, I talked to you a couple of weeks ago about the earthtubes and ultimate hooked to them. I think there is a couple of different ways to do that. Can you tell me how you was going to hook the earthtubes to your application and I see your going to use two ultimates? why are you doing that?? Do you have a drawing of it??? Does any of the stale air get exchanged back to the fresh side at all or is it all seperate??? thanks for the info. Walt
Walt – two ultimateair recoupaerators, yes. I just want the CFM for active passive summer cooling/dehumidification. Its why i have 200 feet of tube also (only need 50ish) intake via earth tube – exhausts through the roof. Econocool on when cooling in the summer – as my incoming air should always be cool….
Hello Jim – It is 1/2 Luan – and yes… or i hope so.It has held it now for two weeks. I will be coming back and putting a 3/4 x 4 strip of poplar over every seem…. run a 3 screw through it and to the roof rafters. More support. Some partition walls also mate up to the ceiling.
I DID do loose fill and not dense pak – most for weight reasons.
Hi Jason, Thanks for sending a link to this. I’ve been looking forward to this. I’m passing it along to co-committee members. Are you in touch with Community Solutions in Yellow Springs? They are planning a film project on the Passive House. :^)
Great site and great work. Your site helps with my dream and plans for a similar home in Canada.
Question about your earth tubes. Are you concerned about the moisture in the earth tubes providing habitat for mold in the summer? I presume the winter air will be too dry to allow water to linger in the tubes. The summer, I have to assume there will be water present, as the cooling effect knocks the humidity out of the incoming humid air to the tube. Or did you incorporate some sort of technology to counter/control for this?
Greatly appreciate that you share your project online.
All the best,
Allen
Allen, The earth tubes drain to daylight. I am after condensing water out of the summer air (and cooling it). A lot of people are not comfortable with this possible problem. I have designed them so they are easily cleaned. All that said – installation of an earth tube with constantly moving air (never off) should not mold (and i have conversations with earth tube owners that do claim this). We’ll see!
Hi Jason, we met at Passive House training in Urbana, 2010. I’m a CPHC now and working on a ICF PH here in the Chicago area. QUestion for you on your house: dud you insulate under the footer? In the photos it doesn’t look like it, but it seems it would be a big thermal bridge. Also, how did you air seal the wall to the footer? Finally, are you enjoying the cool weather in your toasty home? Good job, hope to see it sometime.
I had heard that the condensation could be drained out of the low end of the tube. If this is the case, what if the end of the tube lies below the water table? Could backflow occur during the rain? Can check valves be used? Any insight would be helpful.
HI Jason:
Nice to meet you at the Columbus Green Building Forum this week. I just went through your site here and Yes, your house is most impressive. As one who did a similar project with much less useful information to start with, I appreciate what you are accomplishing. I have also spent the last eight years learning much more about building science, and have audited more than 1400 home in the Columbus area. It would be nice if the whole home construction industry moved even a few steps in the direction of the passive house standard. Just curious to know what do you estimate your final cost per square foot. With my house, I ended up at about $1.20 per sq ft, not counting my own labor (equivilent to full time for 1.5 years).
I am interested in building houses to the passive standard in Columbus, and will be in contact with you when that takes shape.
Hope you enjoy your cozy house this winter.
Kevin, thanks for posting. My cost per sq.ft. is probably around $85 – not including my 15 months of labor. Lets do it!
Dear Jason, Have been avidly following your construction saga and hope that things continue to progress well. I, at one point, had considered building (& duly noted your comments about financing, and being one’s own general contractor,) but at this point believe we will make an offer on an existing house in Ann Arbor (MI) area. However, it needs replacement windows; hence my interest in your exchange about Soft-Light with Tod Turner.I’m guessing that you didn’t want to mount the windows flush to the outside wall surface, but I expect that would be less of an issue for replacements into a conventional structure. Another assumption is that you went with their “Ultimate” triple pane glass (i.e. U= .17); although it may be overkill in a replacement situation.The house we are considering has hot water baseboard heat, but no air handling system, I’m considering installing a Unico high velocity air handlers, in the basement and attic, supplied by a single chiller. My question is whether to install a UltimateAir RecoupAerator® (or two?) into the the Unico’s return duct, or as a separate, stand-alone installation?One last item of curiosity, have you considered writing up your experience for publication (e.g. Fine Homebuilding)? You already have the illustrations from the Blog. If time is an issue, you might be able to do it in an interview format.In any case, keep up the good work, we’re cheering for you… JohnB
Hi Jason, I talked to you a couple of weeks ago about the earthtubes and ultimate hooked to them. I think there is a couple of different ways to do that. Can you tell me how you was going to hook the earthtubes to your application and I see your going to use two ultimates? why are you doing that?? Do you have a drawing of it??? Does any of the stale air get exchanged back to the fresh side at all or is it all seperate??? thanks for the info. Walt
Walt – two ultimateair recoupaerators, yes. I just want the CFM for active passive summer cooling/dehumidification. Its why i have 200 feet of tube also (only need 50ish) intake via earth tube – exhausts through the roof. Econocool on when cooling in the summer – as my incoming air should always be cool….
Jason, Is the 1/4 inch luan strong enough to support the weigh of your cellulose? Jim
Hello Jim – It is 1/2 Luan – and yes… or i hope so.It has held it now for two weeks. I will be coming back and putting a 3/4 x 4 strip of poplar over every seem…. run a 3 screw through it and to the roof rafters. More support. Some partition walls also mate up to the ceiling.
I DID do loose fill and not dense pak – most for weight reasons.
Hi Jason, Thanks for sending a link to this. I’ve been looking forward to this. I’m passing it along to co-committee members. Are you in touch with Community Solutions in Yellow Springs? They are planning a film project on the Passive House. :^)
Thank for doing this
Hope you had very nice Holiday
Phil*
Watching from California
Welcome. Wish i could do more…. time time time