in cool climates special attention is given to the use of building materials that have a high “thermal mass”. insulation is used on the outside of heavy materials such as concrete, brick or adobe. this kind of material stores heat and slowly releases it while external insulation ensures that all heat absorbed by the wall materials is released inside the building. careful positioning of the building and large windows facing winter sunlight also assist to passively heat the house. the roof has an extreme angle to assist with snow runoff and roof overhang does not interfere with sunlight.
homes in warm climates require the opposite approach. insulation and reflective roof material aims to keep heat from the sun out. windows are placed under a wider roof overhang so that they are shaded from direct light in the day and so that cooler night air can move through the house when the windows are open. construction materials such as wood and steel have low thermal mass and gain and lose heat quickly.
9月13日 task1
a “solar still” can be easily made to demonstrate that there is often water in even the driest places. we can collect water with little more than a sheet of plastic and a container. we first dig a hole several feet deep in the ground and place a container at its center. put as much green living plant material as you can find around the container. grass, tree leaves and other plants all contain water. in the day time the sun causes water in the plants to evaporate. place the plastic film over the hole using stones to keep it in place as the diagram shows. leaving a dip in the center, the plants’ water will condense on the inside of the plastic and will drip into the container. we can also collect early morning dew in the center of the dip too. evaporation is the name of the process when water turns from a liquid into a gas. condensation is the process when water turns from a gas to a liquid.
9月20日 task1
the low cost of land, easy access by both road and rail and the expected boom in housing planned for the west of g township, makes site s2 an attractive choice for our supermarket. it is also geographically closer to town h, the other large municipality in the area and avoids the industrial zones located north and south of g.
site s1, inside the town center, is not a suitable option due to the higher costs. and access for customers and suppliers will be extremely difficult now that it has been zoned a traffic-free area.
lower land cost will allow us to have large areas of parking to accommodate rapidly increasing private car ownership and attached facilities will enable owners to have their cars serviced while they are shopping. a free bus service, recreational park and first class shopping facilities will make shopping a family event and the clean country location will be part of a positive experience.