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Earth Friendly Green Construction in Tucson, Arizona
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Earth Friendly Green Construction in Tucson, Arizona
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" Tell us first what's he battle is all about what it means short also bottom takes its name from the hook -- come people and these ancient indigenous people. -- a period where they found the balance between human needs and natural resources. That the modern -- on a six to find that same balance the want to build a pedestrian friendly community. That is -- is later on our land and -- our natural resources more wisely OK atrocity and managed the latest in building technology. That's right Bob in order to use our resources more intelligently we've got -- we've got to take advantage of the best energy engineering and science that's that's available to us that's important even here in the desert. Well before we look at some of the houses that are being built can we learn more about this community center short -- and are gathering place will have cafes in retail and art galleries and offices. We'll have cool towers and fountains. Instant shade trees for people to come in congress created a community where it's using a lot of very appropriate energy and environmental technologies Bob we're doing thermal mass building's thermal insolent buildings were using solar hot water. We're using solar PV systems we're using re -- water system."
" The harvest the Rainwater. -- even greater degree reclaiming our trees I was gonna say this follow Verity is an ancient one and about it was in the middle of the destruction. Now this this was hand box from the desert a little bit off site actually it's about a hundred years old. And we harvested about 3000 trees -- cactus is from the site so farmers harvest 120000. That's so wise not to just commend him -- the desert and then bring an exotic plant material that's right we're using all indigenous zero escape up planting -- in our -- collecting rain water for irrigation we are harvesting right apart rooftops. Now this is -- Adobe right it's a fake Adobe -- fired -- this -- the thermal mass building it's a double walled building. And in addition to the thermal mass quality which it protects you from the heat of the day but also radiates the warmth that night. It's got passive cool -- system that blows cooler into the building that allows a hot air to be filtered out of and its circles of the kind of hearkens back to the home Holcomb. Meeting that does -- the old people tradition. This is the -- house it's -- systems house Bob put together with build American advocates that crawl spaces essentially what you got you're not really based that are sort area that's right the ingenuity of this house they actually -- in the crawl space and using the earth to have a ambient temperature between 56 degrees. And the keeping ordered -- work inside this crawl space and insulating the crawl space. To maximize energy efficiency of the house that's exciting -- the next when you've already got three steps farther so that we can. See what you're talking about Iraq that's right this is -- RTC's installed the metal truss systems -- truss system very rigid right end that's also this business -- right you can see the duct work in the in all the wiring is done in across space itself and what that does -- that allows. A great clearance when you get inside the house with on impede its ceiling exactly and I noticed that you've got pressure treated lumber everywhere which I guess is that an issue even in the desert I bet now why do you need this metal flashing here between the top of the foundation -- that the termites -- but the definite 26 species of termites that's important design feature for a -- can't get away from term. So here you could see the rest of the cross base you've already done all the rough plumbing and you've got all your. Ductwork list right that's right all of the plumbing the wiring the dock work the HB CB yeah and in the final plumbing. And not structural wiring all runs under this system."
" Well Bobbie you're looking at a sandwich wall system with polyurethane and structural panels made of an oriented strand board. Is that polyurethane injected into that's right it's that it's a mole that you've put the -- together and that's right and that's a little bit different than the type of panel were using Yonkers now -- the panels installed that there's installed vertically it's -- similar to a tongue and groove it's an interlocking system and you see how to neatly fit together in their. Factory they're actually pre. Pre number of people actually fit together like a jigsaw. And of course the window openings everything's pre engineered -- that as it goes together but it. -- got finished house right do you do and and what's nice about this system it's they centered percent of production when they're going to stick built and what's the height of the the the clear in the interior is up at eleven. That's nice it's it's one of those great open space yeah and that that whole hospital that a Danish have to put that wall systems and the roof on. Very efficient -- Kevin let's take a look at some of the finished house fantastic."
" Not all the house's will be built with its its technology. A number the builders are using the conventional stick frame and Stucco systems. And with that they're going to offer a different pepper varieties -- all of our five builders have to hit the energy standards that puts us 50% above. The current model energy code OK so that the stick and Stucco is what we're looking at here which went but you've got your traditional frame -- you use -- the the Stucco on and you end up with this. Very western kind of a Santa Fe that's right these homes are built by TJ that our company and they really went after the rebel look. They're designed with the Santa -- and minded back -- Well this is very nice with the rounded soft quarters in the Oracle's. As -- in these homes are designed to be very efficient on the land you'll get seven to nine units per acre but you'll notice we use the walls and we use the other homes and we use the garage space to create a privacy -- created internal and internal courtyard. "
