Like most people, you probably agree that Australia’s electrical energy should come from renewable sources. You might also know that our built environment could do a lot better in its energy consumption.

 So where are the people that have an authoritative knowledge that you can meet and discuss these matters with? Even possibly find that illusive job?

The Australian Solar Energy Society

Do you know anything about the combined solar heating/ power units for homes, mentioned on p71 (Business) of the West on Saturday July 24 ( or any other useful & attainable units, please?)

Cheers,

18Carol

Good to hear from you after all those years.  in the Goldfields  we have too much sun and here is no doubt that the shade cloth added years to your system.  the best angle for our latitudes of 30 - 35 deg,  where there is summer overheating problem then tilting the system up as high as 40 deg off the horizontal,  maximizes winter performance and reduces summer overheating.  Though the refractive glass they use over the panels does not make the difference as much as it was when clear glass was used.  So the higher the angle the better.  if the angle ends up 25 deg or so,  you still will need to used the shade cloth idea.  I have invented a solar shader that has a more permanent effect.  but i have not gotten to the market place as yet.

Hope that helps

best regards

Garry

There must be a lot of people like you who have gained a degree and realized down the track that the chosen path is not working.  Having the degree is a big advantage and it can be used as a springboard to launch into a second degree.  With our  Masters program at MU we can adapt the architects stream into an engineers stream.  But it is really a course that would give an engineer valuable insights into the Environmental Architect's thoughts and the design process. Becoming a qualified, useful architect would require more than that.  But there could be options that suit you.

We can meet to discuss ways of how you can transform your career into the one that you want. Evolution rather than revolution is the path to follow.  I notice you have already booked in to see me.

Hope that is a useful starting point

Garry Baverstock AM,  Adj Prof  Murdoch University

Dear Mr Baverstock,
Congratulations on your wonderful Cottesloe home & your efforts in
pioneering the cause of solar passive design principles. I enjoyed reading
your personal biog. on your website.

My late husband Eric & I had the great benefit of your advice during the
planning stages of our own home.  We chose a north ­facing block & with your advice & lots of research & footslogging, looking at designs (the ZOO
HOUSE was a SUPERB, INSPIRED walk-through example)  &  as a result,  our family has a wonderful energy-efficient home.  Thank you for your very large input & friendly advice at the Canning Highway centre.

17 years old on, our Goldfields house is still great for our kids & me! 

However, I have a problem & with no-one else who is both knowledgeable & unbiased to talk to, I am asking your advice, please?

My husband was a surveyor & together we researched the design & fixtures for our home.  As a transportable home, the roof pitch is 10 degrees (to travel under powerlines & bridges) but this meant our Black Chrome solar hot water system was directly under the Summer sun, meaning too much SUMMER hot water.

Covering the 2 panels (during Summer) with 90% shadecloth & some conveyor rubber on top, STILL gave us plenty of Summer hot water, without boiling & waste, but the dead of Winter required (timed) heating over 6 wks. Our old HWS has now died & the new SJ302 solar HWS – recommended for the Goldfields- will be put in.  (Black Chrome, the local distributors insist, is now only recommended for the coast & S-W).

I intend to have the rear of the new panels raised, to chase the Winter sun.
I have an extra 15 degrees to play with (25 degree pitch is usual?) Should I go the full extra 15 as I'm thinking? I have to specify so the frame can be
made. There are no trees to block the Winter sun. The Summer sun goes
directly over the house & with past experience, I'm expecting to get
adequate Summer hot water, even with the different model  (I've spoken to 2 families who are pleased with this model).

I'd be grateful for your thoughts please, with no obligations on your part.

Sincere thanks, in anticipation.

Hello!

I've got a quick question about a career change into renewable energy with possibly a design twist.

As a short background, I'm a Civil/Structural Engineer who should have studied architecture, I'm more creative than number crunching. I've spent the last 3 years working in the Pilbara and the city for Mining companies.

I'm looking at a complete switch from mining, as I've found that the industry doesn't align with my own values and I'd like to get involved in sustainability or something creative.

I looked at studying the 5 year Architecture degree but then I don't think this would satisfy my itch to get involved in solar, renewable energy, grey water systems etc.

After some research today I've found that Murdoch offer a Masters in Environmental Architecture, ideally I'd like to study something along the lines of sustainable building design and be able to make use of my Structural/Civil Engineering degree.

I was hoping that you could spare a few minutes and offer some advice, either on a direction in which to study, potential employers, or anything I could read up on?

Thank you!

Ground Source heat exchangers are expensive in Australia (but there are companies around offering it) and are not cost effective......usually a vertical drill hole and they use a primary treated fluid as the heat exchange medium.

30 years ago I had some experience in using ground water to create a mass flow to improve the efficiency (COP) of a condenser in an air conditioning system close to the Swan River and with a very high water table (and a de-watering problem to boot). There is potential in the future but you need a large length of pipe as you say to create a proper and useful heat exchange with the ground...... At low temperature differences it is not worth the effort in most of Australia.

Straight passive solar and air systems are the way to go I think in this part of the world unless there is a high water table or hot rocks below the surface.

I recently found out about ground source heat exchangers, but they seem to be rare to nonexistent in Australia. Have you ever had anything to do with these? They make a lot of sense, but it seems the major expense is in installing the sub-ground piping.