Log cabin home

[Dean Lofthouse]

Well, my architect has been and had a meeting with the head of planning and although the proposal wasn't met with open arms being on green belt, it wasn't thrown out and she did listen.

 

My proposal to the architect was, apart from the obvious need to be on site for security and business needs, I want to have the site as a model of sustainability and conservation. Stag beetles, deadwood piles, wild bee friendly flowers on the banking etc etc. I am friendly with the heads of three local schools and would encourage them to arrange school visits to site to show how living off grid and environmental sustainability can be achieved and also to show the conservation side of things, there are already project on the go in the scout camp on the same site.

 

I will be also using screw in foundations which involve no digging, so if the homes are ever taken down the site can be put back to original quite quickly, the piles simply screw back out. Sewage will also be processed on site, the only thing coming into site will be mains water and clean water going back out.

 

The planners may stipulate that the homes can only be occupied by me and my immediate family, as long as it can be passed down the family I wouldn't mind this.

 

Next step is a more detailed explanation of the proposal and go back and see her again. The one thing I am genuinely doing is not doing this for profit or gain, I just want the perfect home for me and the kids

[Dean Lofthouse]

Ill try and upload a panoramic

[Dean Lofthouse]

Nah....that's pretty crap really..but it sort of shows I've cleared a load of saplings at the bottom which were planted in clay and dying off, which has opened it right up

Edited May 4, 2013 by Dean Lofthouse

[alex_m]

Well, my architect has been and had a meeting with the head of planning and although the proposal wasn't met with open arms being on green belt, it wasn't thrown out and she did listen.

 

My proposal to the architect was, apart from the obvious need to be on site for security and business needs, I want to have the site as a model of sustainability and conservation. Stag beetles, deadwood piles, wild bee friendly flowers on the banking etc etc. I am friendly with the heads of three local schools and would encourage them to arrange school visits to site to show how living off grid and environmental sustainability can be achieved and also to show the conservation side of things, there are already project on the go in the scout camp on the same site.

 

I will be also using screw in foundations which involve no digging, so if the homes are ever taken down the site can be put back to original quite quickly, the piles simply screw back out. Sewage will also be processed on site, the only thing coming into site will be mains water and clean water going back out.

 

The planners may stipulate that the homes can only be occupied by me and my immediate family, as long as it can be passed down the family I wouldn't mind this.

 

Next step is a more detailed explanation of the proposal and go back and see her again. The one thing I am genuinely doing is not doing this for profit or gain, I just want the perfect home for me and the kids

 

Good luck with this Dean, it's what my girlfriend and I would like to do in the future. In the mean while, we're building an off grid vehicle at the moment (just ordered my solar panels and massive leisure batteries actually!)

 

What's the system you're using for the sewage?

[Dean Lofthouse]

Another from the bottom of the site looking up in winter obviously

[Dean Lofthouse]

Good luck with this Dean, it's what my girlfriend and I would like to do in the future. In the mean while, we're building an off grid vehicle at the moment (just ordered my solar panels and massive leisure batteries actually!)

 

What's the system you're using for the sewage?

 

I can't remember the name of it Alex, it's similar to the bio disc plants but using an air pump as an agitator which is lower power consumption. The biodisc ones use about 1.3kwhs a day, the air pump agitated ones use much less I think and have no moving parts

[Justme]

I would check the pumps consumption Dean.

 

We looked at them & you have to remember that its not just the consumption of the pump but the fact that it will keep the inverter on 24 7 rather than being able to use a low power mode when nothing else is on. The idle consumption of the inverter soon adds up.

 

Our inverter cuts its output when the load is low enough yet restarts for the fridge or freezer (or a light turned on in the night) as needed.

 

Our total electrical needs average at just under 3kWh per day (sub 2.5kWh in summer & just under 4kWh in winter). Using a pumped system was a non starter as it would add far to much to that.

 

We dry compost the toilet waste & then the grey water is much easier to deal with.

[alex_m]

I can't remember the name of it Alex, it's similar to the bio disc plants but using an air pump as an agitator which is lower power consumption. The biodisc ones use about 1.3kwhs a day, the air pump agitated ones use much less I think and have no moving parts

 

Ok fair play, keep us updated. We will be using a separating compost toilet, so all waste is reusable and non toxic (those chemical toilets in caravans/motorhomes are nasty!).

Check out this company if you are interested in doing things that way.

Separett - Home

[Dean Lofthouse]

I would check the pumps consumption Dean.

 

We looked at them & you have to remember that its not just the consumption of the pump but the fact that it will keep the inverter on 24 7 rather than being able to use a low power mode when nothing else is on. The idle consumption of the inverter soon adds up.

 

Our inverter cuts its output when the load is low enough yet restarts for the fridge or freezer (or a light turned on in the night) as needed.

 

Our total electrical needs average at just under 3kWh per day (sub 2.5kWh in summer & just under 4kWh in winter). Using a pumped system was a non starter as it would add far to much to that.

 

We dry compost the toilet waste & then the grey water is much easier to deal with.

 

Just been back and had a look, your right. They are actually higher consumption and all systems are constant draw for the biological side to work.

 

I need to do some more research.

[codlasher]

I looked into the Klargester system and although it is a system that works and is recognised by planning departments I would seriously look into gravity, after all it is your friend in most cases!. Providing you have enough fall from your loo to the treatment of the effluent and thereon to the discharge point you don't need electrickery just space.....Long term and no more outlay is really the way forward, in my opinion....

It's the same with insulation. costs are painful now but when you are older that's when you achieve the payoff with minimal heat inputs....

Sitting here in the organised chaos that is my home/building site I wish you the best of luck....Scary but positive in the long run.

codlasher.