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Beyond the sun
Geothermal,wind add to La Plata County's annual energy tour
Herald Staff Writer
Photo by STEVE LEWIS/Herald photos
Andy Kayner indicates on Sept.17 where the buried PVC pipes in the geothermal system enter the control room in his house northeast of Durango.
Click image to enlarge
Scuppers drain excess water from the roof when drains leading to the rain-storage tank become clogged.
Scuppers drain excess water from the roof when drains leading to the rain-storage tank become clogged.
Kayner stands next to the water-level indicator for his rain-storage tank.
Energy tour
Information about the 10th annual solar tour (now called the energy tour) of buildings that use alternative sources of energy is available by contacting the coordinating agency, the Four Corners Office of Resource Efficiency, at www.fourcore.org/energytour.html, info@fourcore.org or 259-1916.
They used to call it the solar tour - the first Saturday in October when owners of La Plata County homes and businesses invited in visitors to see how they were putting the rays of the sun to work to heat water, run the refrigerator and warm the building.
This year, the 10th annual tour has expanded to include showcases for wind and geothermal energy. In keeping with the times, it's now the La Plata County Energy Tour - being held Saturday the same as in 3,000 communities across the country.
La Plata County residents Andy Kayner and Jenny Wrenn, who use several alternative-energy sources at their home on County Road 237, are part of the new wave.
The couple's house - designed by architect Greg Madeen of Durango - features 2,500 square feet of heated space. The walls are 24 inches thick, with adobe sandwiching 7 inches of insulating Perlite in which electrical and rain-harvesting conduit is housed. (Kayner was the second person in Colorado to obtain a permit to capture rain after Colorado legislators approved the practice this summer.)Earth from the property was used to make the 15,000 bricks used in construction. The adobe contained 6 percent Portland cement for added strength.
The house, which faces dead south, has windows that allow maximum penetration of sun rays, an example of passive solar use.
A closed-circuit geothermal installation - 4,800 feet of PVC tubing buried in a trench 105 feet long, 35 feet wide and 8 feet deep - anchors a system that provides hot water for household use (bathing, dishes and laundry) and radiant heat in concrete floors 5½ inches thick.
A ground-source heat pump in a control room next to the garage circulates a water/glycol mixture through the subterranean tubing where the liquid absorbs heat from the earth. The mixture is heated further by electricity in the control room and then - stripped of its heat - is returned for yet another cycle through the subterranean circuit.
"We had fun building," Kayner said. "It's a nice place to live."
The couple laid the geothermal system in late fall 2007, then were chased away by snow. They returned when the weather warmed and started construction on April 22, 2008, Earth Day.
The sheer mass of the structure assures little variation in heat.
During construction, before the house was fully sealed, a bowl of water left inside for the dog didn't freeze even when the temperature outside dropped to the low single digits at night. Now, the interior of the house registers about 69 degrees in the morning and never goes above 71 or 72 degrees even if the temperature outside reaches the 90s.
"We don't have any backup heat source," Kayner said. "We took a chance."
Kiva fireplaces, also called beehive fireplaces, in the living room and master bedroom could be used for heat in a pinch, Kayner said. But because of the snugness of the structure, they probably will serve as ambiance and conversation pieces rather than heating devices.
The rainwater conduit leads to an 1,800-gallon storage tank outside. Kayner plans to install a pump to use the water for landscape irrigation.
Scuppers drain rain directly from the roof to an interior patio/garden in front of the house.
Kayner, with a background in mechanical engineering and fiber optics, wants to test the knowledge he gained as owner/builder once the economy turns around. He would like the challenge of building straw bale, adobe and rammed-earth structures for others.
The Kayner/Wrenn house is among eight energy-efficient buildings on the tour. Five are in Durango and three in unincorporated La Plata County. They will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Maps are available for $5 on Saturday at the Durango Farmers Market, 259 W. Ninth St. A guided bicycle tour (map and helmet are required) will begin at 9:30 a.m. sharp at the Durango Farmers Market and will include only the five buildings in Durango.
Sponsors of the tour are La Plata Electric Association, Mantell-Hecathorn Builders Inc., Alpine Bank and Shaw Solar. The Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency is coordinating the activities.
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