Design and Analysis of an Earth shelter Single Family Dwelling

摘要

This paper describes the rational of the design, construction, and the observed performance of an earth shelter home in southwest Wisconsin. The configuration of the earth shelter home incorporated an optimum tradeoff between energy self sufficiency, pleasing aesthetics, and existing economic constraints. The design included an original air-to-air heat exchanger, thermal skirts, an active flat-plate solar collector bank, domestic hot water solar heating, and an automatic computer controlled air circulating system. It also included a wood burning fireplace for backup heating and a passive greenhouse. In addition, a 10 kW electric grid heater in the air handler was included in the system to provide for emergency heating for unusual situations, such as exceptionally unfavorable weather conditions.rnThe structure was mathematically modelled to provide more accurate information on the heat fluxes, inside air temperatures, and ventilation flow rates for expected climatic conditions occurring in southwest Wisconsin.rnA computer program code was written and developed to incorporate all of these variables, including climatic conditions, and an optimum configuration was arrived at by varying the parameters. This optimum con-rnfiguration was incorporated in the actual construction of the home.rnThe structure has been occupied for the past six (6) years and has been found to be comfortable and attractive. It has also been found to be effective and economical for providing proper indoor environmental air quality. This information suggests that for a specific structure, it is advantageous to conduct a numerical analysis to fine tune the configuration to arrive at an attractive and comfortable design for a solar home.