Walker House Design: Drawings & Specifications

"Now in houses with a south aspect, the sun's rays penetrate into the porticos in winter, but in the summer, the path of the sun is right over our heads and above the roof, so that there is shade. If then this is the best arrangement, we should build the south side loftier to get the winter sun and the north side lower to keep out the winter winds."
     --Socrates, speaking 24 centuries ago, quoted by Xenophon in his Memorabilia

"Information! We want information!"
     --Number 2, The Village


========================================



Overview

Summary Page Click on the chart image for a brief summary of the project, which we feel is the best way to get started on understanding it (that summary includes a few photos of representative samples of some of the products and techniques to be used on this project).

We suggest that if this is your first look at this site you continue (after reading the summary) by scrolling down this page; the "jumps" below are for returning visitors who know what they particularly want to look at. (Any text in blue, and any picture with a thin blue border, is a link that you can click on.)


Specifications Jump to the full specifications.

Full-Size Drawings Jump to the full-sized drawings.

Web-Sized Drawings Jump to the web-sized drawings.

Electrical Drawings Go to the electrical-drawings (and text) page.

Heat & Other Calculations Jump to the supporting calculations.

Miscellaneous Information Jump to the miscellaneous info.

Relevant Web Links Jump to the list of relevant web links.

----------------------------------------



Specifications (or return to the jump-to list)

    0 - Heading, Version Information, & Table Of Contents
    1 - General Requirements
    2 - Site Work
    3 - House Foundation
    4 - Framing
    5 - Roofing
    6 - Interior Construction
    7 - Plumbing
    8 - Electrical
    9 - Appliances
  10 - Masonry Heater
  11 - Other
  12 - Garage
  13 - Enclosed Area




Drawings

Copies Scaled For Web Viewing (or return to the jump-to list)

These drawing copies have been reduced enough to be a reasonable fit for a computer screen, allowing you to get a quick look at them right here on line. But, because of that reduction, they will not be as readable if printed out to paper as will the full-sized versions further below.

The idea is for you to use these images to get an idea of what we are showing, then download the full-sized versions below (scanned in at 300 d.p.i.) for printing out.

Designer-Drawn Set

Owner-Drawn Extras




Full-Size Copies (or return to the jump-to list)

Note! These drawings are large files and may thus take some time to load in your browser.
Also, they will be much larger than one screenful each--to see them here on the web, you will need to scroll your screen considerably.

The idea is for you to use the reduced images above to get an idea of what we are showing, then download these full-sized versions for printing out. Just use your browser's file-save capability to save the image file or files you want (in a Netscape browser, clicking on the image with Mouse Button 2--the right one--will bring up a popup menu with saving the image (Save image as . . . ) as an option); then use any standard graphics-viewing software to load them (they are all standard "GIF" format files) and simply print them out--no resizing or other treatment should be necessary for standard 8-1/2" by 11" paper.

Designer-Drawn Set

Owner-Drawn Extras







Supporting Calculations (or return to the jump-to list)

Thermal Calculations

Because heating and cooling are critical in a mainly solar house, extremely detailed and careful calculations of both winter and summer heat balances have been made, using custom software. The results of those calculations can be examined below; a discussion of heating considerations is also available.

   Winter Heating:

       House--
           Average Coldest-Day Calculations
These are the results for the average coldest day of the year (that is, using the normal or typical temperatures for the coldest day of the year).


           Worst-Case Coldest-Day Calculations
These are the results for the very coldest possible day of the year (that is, using the most extreme recorded temperatures for the coldest day of the year).


       Water-Tank Room--
           Average Coldest-Day Calculations
These are the results for the average coldest day of the year (that is, using the normal or typical temperatures for the coldest day of the year).


           Worst-Case Coldest-Day Calculations
These are the results for the very coldest possible day of the year (that is, using the most extreme recorded temperatures for the coldest day of the year).


   Summer Cooling:

       House--
           Average Warmest-Day Calculations
These are the results for the average warmest day of the year (that is, using the normal or typical temperatures for the warmest day of the year).


           Worst-Case Warmest-Day Calculations
These are the results for the very warmest possible day of the year (that is, using the most extreme recorded temperatures for the warmest day of the year).


       Water-Tank Room--
           Average Warmest-Day Calculations
These are the results for the average warmest day of the year (that is, using the normal or typical temperatures for the warmest day of the year).


           Worst-Case Warmest-Day Calculations
These are the results for the very warmest possible day of the year (that is, using the most extreme recorded temperatures for the warmest day of the year).


Engineering Calculations

Some of the more important (that is, non-standard) engineering considerations are supported by calculations.



Et Cetera, Et Cetera, Et Cetera (or return to the jump-to list)


Products Specified

A list of the more important products specified, whether by specific make and model or by performance criteria.


Web Sites Of Interest (or return to the jump-to list)

The sites linked below are all of close relevance to this project.

Techniques & Information

Products & Vendors

{end}

(or return to the jump-to list)