Modern Renewable Energy Systems in Spanish Villas
Renewable energy systems have in the past been associated with being weak, expensive, and unreliable. For many people the concept goes with eco-warriors living off grid in situations where they can’t have all mod cons. Well let me tell you. Things have changed! We are installing a renewable energy system in a modern villa thatContinue reading
How to be Carbon Zero in Spain: Renewable Energy Systems
This is how to be carbon zero in Spain. You can retro fit an existing house or use these principals for your new build. If you want to be green do this. It’s the biggest contribution you can make towards reducing climate change except for stopping flying and we know you’re not going to doContinue reading
Air Source Heat Pump: Is this Just Hot Air? How Does it Work?
Intuitively we can understand how a log fire works, electric radiator or an oil fired boiler but heat from the air seems counter intuitive so how does it actually work and is it reliable? Well you already own a heat pump. Your fridge is a heat pump. Heat is extracted from the fridge and expelledContinue reading
Living off-grid in Spain: Is total freedom from mains services possible?
Living off-grid in Spain is often cited as a path to both escaping the rat race and saving money on hefty monthly bills to heat and cool your home. Eco Vida Homes clients are increasingly asking if we can design a home with all mod-cons that is not just off-grid, but totally independent from mainsContinue reading
Underfloor Heating in Spain
There is something magical about that warm glow underfoot. What are the advantages of under floor heat delivery over conventional radiators? Is it suitable to the climate in Spain? Firstly the only under floor heating systems that are of interest to us are those that pass water through coiled pipes. As far as we areContinue reading
Healthy Heating Systems in Spain
Hundreds of Thousands of Years of Evolution If we think of our biological heritage we evolved with the sun and fire. Both deliver light and heat in the form of infra –red radiation. In terms of our evolutionary make up it is probably fair to say we react well to a source of radiating heat,Continue reading
Space Heating and Cooling With Heat Pumps
With space heating and cooling accounting for 70% of domestic energy requirements heat pumps have fast become the darling of the energy efficient housing industry. Take space heating and cooling out of the equation and you’re way on the way to a zero carbon home. Heat pumps use the time proven refrigeration cycle that weContinue reading
Passive Solar Design: Harness the Energy of the Spanish Sun for Heating and Cooling Your Home
An appreciation of how best to manipulate natural energy resources is fundamental to successful energy efficient design. Daylight, sunlight, and solar heating should be embraced early in the design stage of a project in what is now called passive solar design. It is important to understand that all the factors that underlie the successful applicationContinue reading