Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Wellfleet Bay Mass Audubon Society!

Last week I took a visit to the Wellfleet Bay Mass Audubon Society. If you love the environment, they are definitely an organization worth checking out!! The main building is 100% green, and they have massive solar panels outside of it. The building comes with composting toilets, solar power, thermal energy heating, and a greywater system. The floors are even made from recycled tires!!! For more information on this amazing building visit their Green Building Blog.

FYI:

Thermal Heating --
The ground below us maintains a relatively constant temperature. The thermal heating that is used by the Wellfleet Bay Mass Audubon Society comes from holes dug in the ground underneath the building. In the winter, this constant temperature from the ground helps to keep the building warmer, which means less heat will be needed to warm the building. And less heat means less energy being used! Then in the summer, the cooler air is brought up from the ground and keeps the building from getting scorching hot! :D

Greywater System --
The greywater system recycles the water used in a facility so that it can be used again. For example, dishwater, laundry and bath water will be used, proceed into a filtering system, and then used again to water your garden! The Wellfleet Bay Mass Audubon uses recycled water for their many gardens, and they also collect rain water on the roof to aid this process. The use of grey water lowers the amount of fresh water used and is great for plants! For more information visit Greywater Central.


As for composting toilets . . .
This concept still bewilders me a bit and I'll have to get back to you with more information.

Here is a picture of the solar panels at the Wellfleet Bay Mass Audubon:


ciao :)

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