Our ultimate goal will be to eventually bring Valhalla completely off the grid, capable of generating its own electricity through a combination of solar and micro-hydroelectric.
Equally important will be to design and build heating and cooling systems that require very minimal amounts of electricity. These will use combinations of solar and geothermal technologies.
These technologies used to scare me -- and I was always extremely skeptical of them -- but not anymore. My personal breakthrough came when I realized that some people were very effectively heating their homes with little more than discarded beer cans. When you have time take a look at the videos I've compiled here, they're truly amazing and helped me to take alternative energies a lot more seriously.
So what about when the sun goes down, or doesn't come out at all for days at a time?
Part of the answer will probably come from geothermal systems, which we introduce here. I'd always thought geothermal required access to volcanos or natural hot springs but that isn't the case at all.
Valhalla is committed to conserving resources under a practical waste-not, want-not approach. Check back regularly to see how we'll do it as the project develops!
Equally important will be to design and build heating and cooling systems that require very minimal amounts of electricity. These will use combinations of solar and geothermal technologies.
These technologies used to scare me -- and I was always extremely skeptical of them -- but not anymore. My personal breakthrough came when I realized that some people were very effectively heating their homes with little more than discarded beer cans. When you have time take a look at the videos I've compiled here, they're truly amazing and helped me to take alternative energies a lot more seriously.
So what about when the sun goes down, or doesn't come out at all for days at a time?
Part of the answer will probably come from geothermal systems, which we introduce here. I'd always thought geothermal required access to volcanos or natural hot springs but that isn't the case at all.
Water
While working on the Warrior Police manuscript in New Zealand in the summer of last year, Gordon and I were astonished to discover that nearly every home in that country is automatically outfitted with rainwater collection systems. There aren't any city water mains: every home has a stand-alone system feeding into their own private cisterns.
It was the sweetest, cleanest water we have ever tasted. The average home collects more than needed for not just drinking but also all other uses: laundry, showers, flushing toilets, and other household uses.
Then upon first thinking about straw bale, cob, and earth bag buildings for the first time, we realized that integrating water collection and filtration systems for every structure on Valhalla, we would also help protect the buildings and foundations from potentially damaging runoff.
The most comprehensive guide available on all aspects of rainwater harvesting, filtration, cisterns, and pressure tanks is available through the Texas Water Development Board. Their 88-page "Texas Manual for Rainwater Harvesting" will be provided to the Valhalla Building Advisory Committee as well as any qualified civilian contractors who previously worked in war zones who volunteer to participate in Valhalla plumbing projects.
Considering the extreme drought that occurred this past summer during the record-breaking heatwave, it might also be smart to eventually build and stock a rain barn. Take a look at this amazing example of private water storage systems:
It was the sweetest, cleanest water we have ever tasted. The average home collects more than needed for not just drinking but also all other uses: laundry, showers, flushing toilets, and other household uses.
Then upon first thinking about straw bale, cob, and earth bag buildings for the first time, we realized that integrating water collection and filtration systems for every structure on Valhalla, we would also help protect the buildings and foundations from potentially damaging runoff.
The most comprehensive guide available on all aspects of rainwater harvesting, filtration, cisterns, and pressure tanks is available through the Texas Water Development Board. Their 88-page "Texas Manual for Rainwater Harvesting" will be provided to the Valhalla Building Advisory Committee as well as any qualified civilian contractors who previously worked in war zones who volunteer to participate in Valhalla plumbing projects.
Considering the extreme drought that occurred this past summer during the record-breaking heatwave, it might also be smart to eventually build and stock a rain barn. Take a look at this amazing example of private water storage systems:
Valhalla is committed to conserving resources under a practical waste-not, want-not approach. Check back regularly to see how we'll do it as the project develops!
Our IRS application for nonprofit
status is being processed,
yet you can still donate to help Valhalla today!
yet you can still donate to help Valhalla today!
