[Greenbuilding] Fireplace options

[Lynelle Hamilton]

 From the perspective of someone who needs to have a heat source, much 
also depends upon the type of wood, I've found.

Lynelle
On 03/10/2012 9:20 AM, Ron Cascio wrote:
> Re: [Greenbuilding] Fireplace options
> Sustainably sourced wood, properly dried and burned, can't be beat. 
> The last part (properly burned) is the one most folks have difficulty 
> with.
> Ron
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Jason Holstine <mailto:jason at amicusgreen.com>
>     *To:* Greenbuilding Listserv
>     <mailto:Greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
>     *Sent:* Tuesday, October 02, 2012 6:47 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: [Greenbuilding] Fireplace options
>
>     From a true-sustainable emboddied energy perspective, I would
>     submit that a wood burning stove is likely superior to a gas
>     insert. If you are burning local woods—especially from urban
>     surplus (storm damaged trees, deconstruction, etc.)--then it is
>     effectively carbon neutral and doesn’t have the ghosts of the
>     fossil gas. There have to be some good sources of local surplus
>     woods in the Berkeley area, Sausalito, Napa, etc, etc.
>
>     There are a couple of European brands, such as RAIS from Norway,
>     that are very efficient and thus burn clean—they minimize the PM
>     emissions. However, they create a TON of BTUs (heat). Maybe they
>     would be overkill if she really doesn’t want heat as much as
>     prettiness. Or, maybe she’d see how effective and efficient it is
>     at keeping them cozy without their “other” heating source and
>     would switch to use it as their primary or more-often heat source.
>
>
>     On 10/2/12 2:49 PM, "Kirsten Flynn" <kf at declan.com> wrote:
>
>
>         Hi everyone,
>
>         I have mostly been lurking on the list, I am a green interior
>         designer, so don't always come across issues of building
>         science. Now I do have a question I think the combined wisdom
>         of this list could help me with.
>
>         In my region, most municipalities ban wood fireplaces in new
>         construction. I usually recommend that folks that have an
>         existing convert to a good quality gas insert, they burn
>         cleaner and give the hearth feeling in the winter. In our
>         climate (SF bay area) we are very temperate, and don't need
>         heating. I live on the San Francisco Peninsula, which is very
>         population dense, and does have air pollution issues on occasion.
>
>         I have a client that has a 1950's house, and wants to keep her
>         fireplace. She is very green, but is very opposed to fossil
>         fuel use. She would like a solution for occasional heating
>         that is not dependent on natural gas, but she IS concerned
>         about particulate pollution. What should I tell her, I am not
>         as up on EPA rated wood burning inserts as I should be.
>
>         If I need to convince her not to be so attached to the wood
>         burning option, she is intelligent and interested, I am happy
>         to do so, but I want to know what the best options are.
>
>         Thank you in advance for your answers.
>
>         Kirsten Flynn
>         Designer
>         *Sustainable Home
>         *Sustainablehome.com <http://sustainablehome.com/>
>         650-855-9476
>
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