Introduction
Here I outline what is in each page of the Core Report and what is its purpose.
1.1 Project description (this page) articulates: my goals for this report and the project, the context and important interventions of the project, and the process I went through. You will see an exploded view of the PSPs showing its parts and a document illustrating how it functions. The purpose of this page is to explain what I did for whom and why, what happened and how this technology works.
1.2 Project design discusses and reviews the design frameworks and methods I used to design both the project and this report. The purpose of this page is to articulate how and why I designed the project and OP the way I did, what design principles I used and how they worked for me.
1.3 Project outcomes reports: how this project affected me personally and what were my principle unlearnings, how it is impacting my spheres of influence, detailing the projects primary achievements, what professional skills I gained and which patrix memes were addressed. The purpose of this page is to show the various impacts this project has had and what efforts I am making to share my un/learnings and engage my networks.
1.4 Project conclusion is a summary of project and report outcomes, my next steps and the new goal which has arisen from this project. The purpose of this page is to summarize the outcomes and to invite you to explore the potential applications of this technology in your life.
1.5 Annotated resources is a reviewed list of the documents and websites I referenced to design/build the PSP and to make this report. The purpose of this page is to both give credit to those who helped me accomplish what I did and to provide further resources for readers to explore.
Abbreviation and Terminology
PS - Passive Solar
PSP - Passive Solar Panel
DIY - Do it yourself
BP - Best Practices
PM - Project Management
A&A - Analysis and Assessment
OP - Output packet - project report
Glazing - Glass or clear material
Gift economy - bartering / work trade
Rapid prototyping - quickly fabricate a scale model
Goals for this report
- Create and implement a clear outline and design
- Succinctly communicate my Un/Learnings
- Articulate my use of Design Principles and Best Practices
- Inspire others to pursue Passive Solar as a DIY project
- Show my efforts pushing for more interaction / feedback in Gaia U.
Project Context
My wife and I have lived in this cabin that I installed this PSP on, the past three warm seasons (spring-autumn). We pay a low rent using permaculture implementation as a supplementary exchange.
Factors I had to take into consideration when analyzing the viability of this project.
- The floor is still uninsullated letting in cold air
- There are several large standing dead trees directly south of the cabin
- The owners had no money to invest
I spoke with Prem Prakash (the owner) about his long term plans and realized the first two factors would be resolved and the PSP would increase in its effectiveness. This is why the evaluation of the PSP's performance was not a goal. The third factor I decided was a good $130 investment in my learning and in social-capital.
Cynefin model context
Considering my inexperience and my retro-fit low-budget approach I consider my project to be knowable. If I were an experienced technician with capital it would be known. This means I must apply systems thinking.
How the PSP works
Project process
The one concern Prem had was that the PSP would contribute to the cabin overheating in the summer.
Below I describe the process of realizing this project.
Define problem- A seasonal cabin which is too hot in the Summer and too cold in the Spring and Autumn.
Research- I read web-sites, PDFs and watched videos on PSPs. I thought PSPs only had the capability to heat, my research informed me otherwise.
As a permaculture designer I am always looking to stack component functions to obtain more yields, add redundancy and diversify component relationships.
Articulate Goals -
Original goals:
- Build and install a Passive Solar Panel
- Learn site analysis for PS
- Improve my carpentry skills
- Leave a place I used better than I found it
New goal after research
- Stack the functions of the PSP to passively heat and cool
This new goal was important to the clients.
Analysis- The site survey for solar exposure was a large part of my goals. I found a tutorial video that made it very clear, see Annotated Resource review.
Assessment and Design - For the PSPs glazing I chose to use a double-pane I had salvaged one year prior. I am a big proponent of the design principle of using ‘waste’ as a resource. This choice to retrofit created design constrains, rapid prototyping came in very handy.
Develop and Build - I used only what was available at the local hardware store and in my backyard. To develop appropriate open-source technology it is important to source materials as locally and renewably as possible.
Implement and Install - Prior to gathering my installation-team I prepare the site by bringing; power on site, tools (ladder, power drill, level), and infrastructure (hanging shelf, duct, fasteners and brackets). Prem, my wife and I worked together to get the PSP up the hill, communicating to ensure safety. The install process went smooth with me leading the movements.
Reflect - I am using my un/learning journals and this OP to extract detailed reflection of the process.
PSP Slideshow
Passive Solar Video
The slideshow above condenses this three week project into 2.16 min. The photos are in chronological order starting with the solar azimuth survey and finishing with the panel installation.
Interventions and their timing
This section details three interventions I made during this project, and how they affected the outcome. To see more on interventions visit 3.2 un/learning journal page.
My original design utilized a groove to embed the glazing into the frame. Having no router table my groove was messy. I stopped before completely ruining the wood. By stopping when I did and coming up with a new design to frame-in the glass I saved wood and money.
My original design had one intake and one exhaust hole. When I was about to cut these holes in the back of the panel, I chose to make two intakes and two exhaust holes. It means more versatility and control of where and how much air you let enter/exit the panel. This was a good design intervention as it is easier to block a hole than unistall and cut a new one..
I met with the client explaining the PSP and asked him how he would attach the panel to the cabin. Having had built the cabin I considered he would have good advice on this logistic. I was exercising my skills gained in OP3 of being an active follower. This made a positive change in the final design and increased the clients' involvement.
Creative Commons license
1.1 Core report - Project descriptions by Will Bode is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from Will Bode.