When living in desert homes, expect your real estate to undergo a barrage of extreme weather – from scorching heat to nose-numbing cold weather. As a result, homes designed for desert living should be constructed of materials that can withstand the hot, the cold, and everything in-between.

Perhaps one of the best materials for construction is concrete. Concrete is inexpensive and durable, virtually maintenance free for home-owners who prefer spending their time taking in the adventures that desert living provides. Concrete is also a wonderful sound-proof material, which could be a problem if coyotes are circling your abode waiting to whisk away your marinating steaks.

While building a concrete home may seem more expensive at first, this real estate is actually much less expensive in the long-run thanks to savings in monthly heating and cooling expenses. Additional savings are realized through your home owners insurance policies because concrete is very durable and can survive earthquakes, tornadoes, fire, and other unfortunate disasters.

Another benefit of concrete homes is the absence of pests. Where there is wood, there are termites. Where wood is absent, there are no termites, carpenter ants, or other foundation-nibbling insects. In addition, the inside wall materials are non-toxic. Often polystyrene foam is used which are free of fiberglass, formaldehyde, and asbestos.

In addition to the design of a home, people living in Arizona desert country may also want to consider what kind of landscaping would be good beyond cactus and tumbleweeds. Perhaps the best kind of tree would be a Chilean Mesquite which is very drought resistant and grows to 40 feet tall. Another tree to consider for desert landscaping are the Afghan Pine which grows to 80 feet tall and uses little water once it is established. Finally Mimosa trees and Desert Willow trees also provide wonderful shade and once the roots are in, not a lot of water is required.

As you consider water for your Arizona desert home, some tips that could be helpful are to find toilets that have 1-gallon-per flush, shower heads that only expend 2.75 gallons per minute, and 1.5 gallon per minute or less faucets.

With some serious planning and designing, building and living successfully in an energy-efficient desert home in Arizona can be affordable, satisfying, and an extraordinary real estate experience

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Anton

Reducing your environmental impact is about three things: using less and better energy, reducing pollution, and doing things that improve the environment. Each of these things are possible to do in your own home. Not only will they have a positive impact on your day to day life, but they will also help sustain the environment for future generations.

Use Less and Better Energy
The majority of energy used in modern homes comes at least in part from fossil fuels such as oil and gas. These fuels tend to produce pollution when they are extracted and when they are burned, and they aren’t a sustainable source of energy. Using less of them, or switching to greener energy, just makes sense. You can start simply by shutting off lights and other electronics when you’re not using them. Set your thermostat as low as you can handle it in the winter and as high as you can take it in the summer. Make sure your house and water heater are well-insulated to avoid energy loss. Curtains or blinds on your windows will also help insulate against the heat and cold. When it’s time to purchase new appliances, look for the Energy Star label.

Saving energy is one step in reducing your environmental impact. Another is choosing better energy when you can. If you have a choice in energy providers, shop around for ones that offer green energy sources such as wind or solar energy. For a bigger investment that will pay itself back in time, look into solar panels for your home. In many cases, you can sell back some of the energy your solar panels produce to the power company, allowing you to make money from your energy-saving efforts.

Reduce Pollution
Sources of pollution from the home include cleaners, pesticides, and other chemicals. Choosing eco-friendly options when you clean or do laundry can reduce your environmental impact. Finding environmentally safe ways to combat pests is another big step. The more you use eco-friendly options around your hose, the less your environmental impact will be.

Improve the Environment
Taking the steps mentioned above will improve the environment quite a bit, but you can go a step further by planting a tree or some native plants for decoration. Trees have the biggest impact, reducing carbon and producing oxygen. Native are well-adapted to the usual water and heat levels in your area, which can often reduce the amount of water you need to keep the plants alive.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kaellyn_Mackenzie

Rammed earth homes (or other buildings) are edifices with walls that are built from a mixture of sand and clay. A mixture of sand and clay is poured into “forms” (molds) to build the walls. They are typically constructed on-site, using locally available sand, earth, water, clay, and a little cement. The walls allow for a range of versatility in design of the homes, require only minimum amounts of energy to sustain warmth in the cold season or to keep a home cool in the summer.

Often, these homes are built to utilize solar energy. Prospective owners seeking a comfortable home that can save on energy demands and expenditure in the long run, and offering an environmentally sustainable solution to home ownership, will likely find the concept of rammed earth homes to be very attractive and viable.

The Process of Building These Homes
The walls of such homes are a minimum of 12 inches thick and formed with a process of packing a mixture oaround 15% clay, 50% sand, and 35% silt into the forms with the use of pneumatic tampers. Other components in the mix for the walls may be included in the mix for improved water repellency and load bearing properties. Newly built walls require some time to fully dry out. This method of construction utilizes local resources and is a very strong model of environmentally friendly sustainability since it primarily if not completely utilizes a local resources.

The resulting house is highly energy efficient, requires almost no maintenance, and very comfortable.

The Design of Rammed Earth Homes
The appearance of edifices constructed in this way are quite beautiful, along with true sturdiness. Rammed earth homes offer unparalleled insulation from the elements, in both cold weather and on hot day, since their walls have a high thermal mass.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Fulford

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1989623

Energy costs today are running rampant. Taxes have literally gone through the roof. People are finally beginning to say enough is enough. So how do we stop this runaway train that housing has turned into? To find the answer to this pressing question we must first look at what led our society down this devastating path in the first place. This requires looking back into how homes have been defined through the ages.

Throughout time, homes can be divided into two categories. The first is that of everyman, and the second is that of the gentry, or upper class. For a long time the homes of everyman were built to meager standards. They contained just enough space for the everyday needs of the family. There was a kitchen area which many times was combined with a dining space. There was typically a small bit of extra space which could be used for sitting and passing the time reading, doing chores, or craftwork of some sort.

The “bedrooms” were typically no more than a sleeping bunk or loft set off of this main area. In some cases, the parents’ bunk would be downstairs and separated from the common area by a simple curtain. The children would then sleep upstairs in the loft. Everyman didn’t own the amount of clothing that we worry with today. This means that there usually was no need for closets to store them in. A simple chest of drawers could hold what was needed.

Through the ages however the upper class has had a different notion of what a home should be. These homes have included all sorts of elaborate rooms such as music rooms, parlors, formal dining rooms, multiple guest rooms, and many more. Nowadays, when one looks at homes of the middle and even lower class families in America, it is easy to see the influence that the homes of the gentry have played. It has become common place for many homes to now have a great deal of excess space.

Take for example a family of four; two children and two parents. The parents spend a great deal of time in the living room which could be as big as twenty five by twenty feet or more. The kids might spend most of their time in their bedrooms. The dining room largely goes unused, as does the kitchen which is also huge. Heating, cooling, and even lighting this home is quite expensive. The property taxes are also high as well due to square footage. So, why would this family choose to pay to live in such a costly home?

This is the question that many people are now starting to ask. By running a search on the Internet for “tiny homes” one can easily see the grassroots movement that is now picking up steam here in the US and abroad. Some single individuals have found it comfortable, and affordable, to live in a home of less than 200 square feet. Just imagine a home for one that costs under $5,000 USD. Does this sound too good to be true? Believe it or not there are many of these tiny houses starting to pop up all across the world. This begs the question; why should we choose to live in such small houses? There are five excellent reasons why it should be an option that everyone considers in this day and age.

1. Cut Those Spiraling Energy Costs – Average electric, gas, and water bills have been going up exponentially in the past several years. Some say it is due to the finite supply of resources powering many of the utilities. Others feel it is due to the greed of the corporations holding the reigns. No matter what the reason there is no arguing as to the pain in the wallet that these bills represent. Now imagine being able to run your entire house on two simple solar panels. On days with little sun you might have to resort to wind for back up. This is quite possible with a small home. Tiny homes are very easy to heat, cool, light and more without having to give your sweat and blood to the utility companies.

2. Say Goodbye To The Taxman – Property taxes are on the rise as towns, counties, and states look for more income streams. The larger your home the more taxes you will likely pay. Now imagine how little tax you would have to pay for a home that could fit on a space the size of four parking spaces two in front of the other. That’s right; your new tiny home could be easily squeezed in wherever you can find an ultra small lot. Some folks even build theirs to fit onto a flatbed trailer for mobility.

3. Scoff In The Face Of Disaster – Just ask people who lose their homes in tornadoes or hurricanes, losing a full sized home in a disaster can be extremely devastating. Not only do you lose your worldly belongings, but you also take an enormous financial hit, especially if you do not have homeowners insurance that will cover such loss. Now compare a $10k tiny home with a $100k full sized home. Any loss is hard, but at least this sort would be much easier to come back from. Imagine as well the ability to hook your home up to a vehicle and move it to safety if need be.

4. Keep Yourself Clutter Free – Have you ever taken a look around a cluttered room and felt your heart race or began to feel a headache coming on? The truth is that in today’s homes the extra space simply serves as a catchall. It is somewhere that we can store any number of things that will need to be dusted, cleaned, and just generally cared for. If nothing else, we end up moving the things from spot to spot. Why go through all this trouble? A tiny home would help to reduce the desire for such clutter by simply not offering up as much dead space. Sure, you would have plenty of room for keepsakes. You would not however have to worry about that old tin whatnot getting knocked into other stuff or collecting dust.

5. Reduce Your Carbon Footprint – Perhaps one of the best reasons to choose a tiny house would be the benefit of reducing your overall carbon footprint. This takes place in several ways. First, a tiny home requires an enormously reduced amount of building materials. This in itself is a huge step. Next is the fact that you can easily convert it to use wind and/or solar energy for your electrical needs. By relying on solar powered lights, heating, and cooling, you will do your part in reducing the burden for oil, gas, and other such resources. This is another huge step in helping the planet. Whether you believe in the existence of global warming or not, there is no arguing that man has an effect on his environment. Why not take steps to make this impact less harmful than it could be?

Keep in mind that these five reasons are not the only ones. There are many other reasons to choose a tiny home over a full-sized energy consuming model. There may come a day in which we all will be required to look into the feasibility of tiny home living. Why not get a jump on it now and get the perfect tiny home today?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4810816

Hydro power has always been part of building civilizations, from the water wheel to ancient irrigation networks. Water has always been harnessed to make mankind’s life more bearable. Today it’s making a comeback in the form of various hydro power generators, from enormous dams to backyard hydro power installations. This green form of energy production is a seeing a resurgence in a more eco friendly world.

Possibly the most impressive example of the hydro electric power plant is the Three Gorges Dam project in China. The hydro electric dam which became fully operational in 2009 is able to generate 18.2 million kilowatts and prevent flooding downstream, which has in the past proved to be devastating to the Hubei province of China.

But this marvel of technology is not the only hydro electric installation that is changing lives across the globe. Far smaller projects have proved a boon to sheep farmers in Wales. In the remote valleys of Wales these farmers are putting hydro electric generators along small streams which run through the farms. These generators are supplying enough electricity to power all the surrounding villages. In fact they’re providing so much power that the farmers are selling excess power to the national electricity provider, giving them much needed income in the traditionally economically depressed area. Perhaps the most noteworthy thing about the project is that the power plants are hidden from sight by being mostly buried in the Earth, leaving the landscape unscarred.

Hydro power has even come to the backyards of homeowners across the world. Everywhere the homeowner has legal access to flowing water, small hydro power generators are being installed. These small hydro electric power plants can provide supplementary power to home and reduce dependence on the national grid. While providing this additional power the generators reduce the cost of electricity. These smaller hydro power generators can often be purchased from hobby or special interest shops in kit form and are suitable for installation by anyone with a basic knowledge of engineering or even a passing interest in do it yourself projects.

Hydro power projects are especially interesting to those consumers who are concerned that mankind is making more and more of a negative impact on the natural world through the use of fossil fuels. Although most of us are at least one step removed from the generation of power it should not be forgotten that most of the world’s power comes from the burning of fossil fuels, primarily coal. For this reason many are turning to alternatives like wind and solar power. Hydro power is another choice.

Along with dams, large hydro power generators can now be found on coastlines across the world, where the power of the ebb and flow of tides is being harnessed to provide ecologically friendly power. Whether the consumers choose to support these large scale projects or install a home hydro electric power plant it is becoming increasingly clear that green power initiatives are here to stay and are only going to increase in popularity as an alternative to the burning of fossil fuels.

“The grid” is a common name for the power grid – the linked system that delivers electricity to the masses. A typical house is connected to power, natural gas, water and telephone lines. Going off the grid means shunning these public utilities in favor of creating your own energy. Some homeowners choose to be partially off the grid by supplying their own electricity and ditching their phone line, while relying on the convenience of city water and sewage. Others choose to live completely off-grid by digging wells or using a cistern system to collect water. A septic tank takes care of the sewage and, just like that, no more water bill either.

It’s impossible to get an accurate count of exactly how many people in the United States live off-grid, but in 2006, Home Power magazine estimated that more than 180,000 homes were supplying their own power. Another 27,000 homes use solar and wind energy to offset their grid-connected life [source: USA Today]. The back-to-the-land movement accounts for some of these numbers, but more people in developed urban areas are looking to get off the grid as well. For most, it’s a good way to be friendly to the environment. For others, it’s a relief not to rely on overworked utility companies to meet their needs.

In this article, we’ll cover what it takes to go off-grid. We’ll learn about solar and wind power and how you can get your water from above or below. We’ll also look at the lifestyle changes that come with living off the grid.

The primary item that you must have to put together a solar panel is a panel which is 12 volts or more. 16 volts is best however. You can purchase solar panels for a good price on ebay, and you will likely find them for prices of no more than a hundred dollars.

On top of a solar panel, a battery is needed. A small and rechargeable battery could be used. In general, deep cell batteries are the best to use in this regard as they are made for continuous use. An example of such a battery is a twelve volt lead. It is also a good idea to purchase a battery box, as it will offer you protection for the battery and the energy that it gives off.

A DC meter needs to be purchased, as it matches the DC input and the battery’s voltage. These two items allow you to convert the solar cell’s energy and administer it to sources of power around your residence. Inverters are needed if you plan on powering AC appliances from the solar panel.

Accompanying the products mentioned so far, a handheld drill will be needed to create a solar panel. The drill will connect the DC input and meter to the top end of the battery’s box. Insulated wire can be used to affix the meter to the battery. The same process can be utilized to attach the DC inlet and solar panel to the battery. At this point, the product will be ready. All you have to do at this time is to seal the lid shut and leave the product out in the sun for eight hours. After this, you will be able to enjoy your own homemade energy.

In concluding, it is simple to create your own solar panels. The materials needed are a 16 V solar panel; an acid or lead battery that can be recharged and that is 12 V; a box for the battery; a DC meter; an inverter; and a drill that can be held by hand.

So how on Earth can people turn this bounty of sunbeams into useful electricity?

The sun’s light (and all light) contains energy. Usually, when light hits an object the energy turns into heat, like the warmth you feel while sitting in the sun. But when light hits certain materials the energy turns into an electrical current instead, which we can then harness for power.

Old-school solar technology uses large crystals made out of silicon, which produces an electrical current when struck by light. Silicon can do this because the electrons in the crystal get up and move when exposed to light instead of just jiggling in place to make heat. The silicon turns a good portion of light energy into electricity, but it is expensive because big crystals are hard to grow.

Newer materials use smaller, cheaper crystals, such as copper-indium-gallium-selenide, that can be shaped into flexible films. This ”thin-film” solar technology, however, is not as good as silicon at turning light into electricity.

Right now, solar energy only accounts for a tiny portion of the U.S.’s total electricity generation, because it is more expensive than alternatives like cheap but highly polluting coal. Solar power is about five times as expensive as what people pay for the current that comes out of the outlets.

In order to have a hope of replacing fossil fuels, scientists need to develop materials that can be easily mass-produced and convert enough sunlight to electricity to be worth the investment.

We asked Paul Alivisatos, deputy laboratory director at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California and a leader of their Helios solar energy research project, to explain how people capture energy from sunlight and how we can do it better.

[An edited transcript of the interview follows.]

What is a solar cell?
A solar cell is a device people can make that takes the energy of sunlight and converts it into electricity.

How does a solar cell turn sunlight into electricity?
In a crystal, the bonds [between silicon atoms] are made of electrons that are shared between all of the atoms of the crystal. The light gets absorbed, and one of the electrons that’s in one of the bonds gets excited up to a higher energy level and can move around more freely than when it was bound. That electron can then move around the crystal freely, and we can get a current.

Imagine that you have a ledge, like a shelf on the wall, and you take a ball and you throw it up on that ledge. That’s like promoting an electron to a higher energy level, and it can’t fall down. A photon [packet of light energy] comes in, and it bumps up the electron onto the ledge [representing the higher energy level] and it stays there until we can come and collect the energy [by using the electricity].

What’s the biggest difference between how a plant captures light energy and how we do it with solar cells?
We wish we could do what plants do because plants absorb the light, and [they use] that electron to change a chemical bond inside the plant to actually make fuel.

Could you do artificial photosynthesis and emulate a plant?
We would love to be able to make a solar cell that instead of making electricity makes fuel. That would be a very big advance. It’s a very active topic right now among researchers, but it’s hard to predict when we will be able to use it.

One of the reasons we like to plant trees is because they take the CO₂ out of the air. If we could do that [with a solar cell], then we could actually deal with global warming problems even more directly because we’d be pulling the CO₂ out of the air to make our fuel.

How good are current solar cells at capturing light energy?
So we can talk about the power efficiency. The power efficiency of a typical crystalline silicon cell is in the 22 to 23 percent [range, meaning they convert as much as 23 percent of the light striking them into electricity]. The ones that you typically might be able to afford to put on your rooftop are lower than that, somewhere between 15 and 18 percent. The most efficient, like the ones that go on satellites, might have power efficiencies approaching 50 percent.

The power efficiency is one measure, but the other thing that we’re very concerned about is the cost of making them and the scale of production.

In my opinion, the silicon technology doesn’t scale [up] too well [because it's expensive to make]. We need to invent some new technology, [which] may not be as efficient, but you need to be able to make millions of acres of stuff if you want to get a lot of energy. People are trying to use new materials like plastics and nanoparticles.

The total solar production in 2004 was around one thousandth of the total power consumption of the U.S. It’s just not enough. Something’s gotta change. We’re not there yet. There’s a lot of discoveries still to be made.