The Outhouse was the first building we put on Black Dike. When we first settled there, we made a septic tank by pouring a concrete lid over a mine test-hole. Seemed a shame not to use it, so this was built atop, hence it's name! The building originally held the solar batteries and automatic washer, and has since been converted to a 3/4 bath with the washer remaining.
The walls are 4" soil cement with 1-1/2" styrofoam outside, then a thin stucco and textured elastomeric paint. With the 3' glass door facing south, it has consistently maintained temperatures at least 20 degrees more moderate than the outdoor extremes - our first passive solar building!
The Solar Workshop was shortly added onto the Outhouse - that was quite a trick, fitting a completely different building-type! The land dropped off steeply there, so buried concrete piers and grade beam were used.
The building is 2-1/2" steel frame with corrugated GI siding and roofing. All the solar equipment is located inside - batteries, controllers, breaker boxes and inverter. There's room left for my little toolshed/workshop.
The solar water heater was later added beneath the solar panels.
The Pumphouse is constructed of soil-cement floors and walls, and steel-framed roof. The 4" soil-cement walls are proving perfect for this wet use.
There's space inside for plumbing parts and the beer-can crusher (^_^).
The Cooling Tower isn't finished yet - it will have a wishing-well top, allowing for a possible evaporative cooler beneath a hip roof. Just wanted you to see - it does snow in Arizona, at least in the mountains!
It's poured 4" soil-cement walls extend about 7 feet into the ground, where two cooling tunnels will carry the 56 degree temperature of underground into the new house. The same forms from the pumphouse were used, but held with slip-collars rather than bolts.
Updated by RonKZ, Tuesday, September 14, 2004
copyright 1998 - 07 July 2006 by Ron Klotz-Zellhoefer, SolarSense Designs, Arizona & New Mexico
Permission is granted and welcomed for personal application only.
