[Sust-mar] Solar Nova Scotia Digest!

Wed Mar 11 10:12:19 EDT 2009

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  // CONTENTS //
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/ 1 / Courses, Courses, Courses!
/ 2 / Annual General Meeting
/ 3 / Solar Home Design Manual Book Launch!
/ 4 / Wind Turbine Workshop
/ 5 / Meetings & Web Page

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/ 1 / Courses, Courses, Courses!
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Hello Solar Nova Scotia member or friend!

Solar Nova Scotia is pleased to announce the next courses of Solar  
Shelter Design, a practical, how-to course on designing and building  
solar shelters, including greenhouses, solaria, additions and  
especially solar homes.

This course is intended for the general public and for those in  
design and construction. The main instructor is one of Canada's most  
experienced solar designer-builders, Don Roscoe.

Here's the outline:
(1) _Solar Basics_ of active and passive, an affordable approach.
(2) _Climate Control_ for comfort and health, energy and the environment
(3) _Site Designing_ working with nature
(4) _Shelter Designing_ bringing you, your needs, and your site together
(5) _Solar Construction_ ground frost insulation, heat storage slabs,  
glazing
     types and systems and solar mechanicals
(6) _Making It Happen_ costing, controlling costs, contracting, doing it
     yourself, case studies, and other approaches.

Fee for the course is $90 for individuals and $150 for couples and  
includes a hand out. If you don't have a textbook (The Solar Shelter  
Manual) already, you can buy one at the course for $15. When you  
register, we'll need to know (a) if you're single or a couple and (b)  
contact information for you in case something changes. Note that each  
course has specific registration info.

HUBBARDS: Solar Basics (one night) March 11, 6:30 - 9:00pm.  at the  
Hubbards Library, No registration fee, no registration required.

HALIFAX: Solar Construction Course, April 18th 9:00 - 5:00 at NS  
Community College, Leeds St. Halifax. Cost: $50 ($40 for students)  
includes a CD, detail sheets, and other materials. Register by  
voicemail at 852-4758

Solar Shelter Courses:
BRIDGEWATER: Six Tuesdays from 6:45-9:45pm starting April 7, at  
Bridgewater HIgh School; register with Sandy Mair at 543-2274
HALIFAX:  Six Thursdays 7-10:00pm starting April 2, at NS Community  
College, Leeds St. Halifax. Register by voicemail at 852-4758
MIDDLETON: May 29, 30, 31. Get particulars, and register at:  
solarhomes at hotmail.com
TRURO: May 1, 2, 3. Get particulars, and register at:  
solarhomes at hotmail.com
WOLFVILLE: May 15, 16, 17.  Get particulars, and register at:  
solarhomes at hotmail.com

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/ 2 / Annual General Meeting
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Solar Nova Scotia AGM!!

FROM: Jim Creighton, Chair

Dear Solar Nova Scotia Members and Future Members:

That time has come again, for our Annual General Meeting. We are  
holding it earlier this year because we want to give you a chance to  
buy our long awaited, new and improved, solar shelter manual.  We'll  
have a brief AGM including elections, a short presentation about the  
new book, and then a social and a chance for you to buy your new  
Solar Shelter Manual.

AGM Location:  The Hub, 1673 Barrington Street, 2nd Floor, (above  
Certainly Cinnamon) Halifax, Nova Scotia
Time: Thursday, March 19, 7:00 PM

The primary focus of our meeting will be a presentation, by our  
intrepid editor, Shawna Henderson, of the successor to the Maritime  
Solar Shelter Manual. We will have copies (for Solar Nova Scotia  
members only!!) at a special members AGM price of $27.  Nonmembers:  
this would be a great time to become a member -- or you can wait  
until the official book launch the next week.

Facebook event for the AGM:

     http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=55402228207

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/ 3 / Solar Home Design Manual -- Book Launch!
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The official book launch, including a press conference, Q&A session,  
book signing, food and entertainment,will take place also at The Hub,  
on Tuesday, March 24 3:00 - 5:00.  After that, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM,  
there will be entertainment, refreshments and more snacks to  
celebrate the new book! We'll have lots of copies available for  
purchase by everyone for $30.

Facebook event for the Book Launch:

     http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=76256241048

Full information about the book launch, a sneak preview of the cover,  
and other RSVP info, can be found here:

http://bonmot.ca/booklaunch/

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/ 4 / Wind Turbine Workshop
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FROM:  Jonathan McKeever <jonathan.mckeever at gmail.com>

Hello All!

This hands-on, 6 day workshop, led by DIY Wind Turbine Pioneer Hugh  
Piggott, will guide participants through the step by step process of  
building a quiet, efficient, durable wind turbine from scratch, using  
commonly accessible parts and tools.   Participants will gain a host  
of practical skills including metal working, wood working, alternator  
theory and design, resin casting and mechanical shop safety.    In  
addition to the "nuts and bolts" of assembling a turbine,  
participants will learn valuable skills related to sighting a  
turbine, assessing and scaling a turbine for various applications,  
and safely erecting the turbine tower using best-of-breed procedures,  
developed over 20 year by experts who have done this around the world.

The workshop will yield one (possibly two) functional 10' turbines,  
rated at 700 watts, based on the three-phase axial flux design used  
by Hugh Piggott and improved over the years by countless workshop  
participants and engineers.

Topics include:
Basic Wind Power Theory
Basic Turbine Design
Basic Alternator Design
Basic Shop Safety
Welding instruction
Wood working instruction
Battery Bank and Tie-in options
Tower Safety
Turbine Sighting
Participants will not take home a turbine, but will learn the skills  
and theory to complete one themselves.  Each participant will receive  
Hugh Piggot's book "Wind Turbine Recipe Book" with plans, diagrams,  
and scaling options for the Axial Phase generator.

The workshop is ideal for  individuals interested in building their  
own turbines, engineers and educators interested in small scale wind  
options, students interested in joining the "green collar" workforce,  
and volunteers seeking to serve in the developing world.   No prior  
experience required, however, the workshop is hands on: come ready to  
pull your sleeves up and get involved in all stages of the process.

The 6-day workshop will take place at Windhorse Farm, on the  
beautiful LaHave River upstream from Bridgewater Nova Scotia.   
Windhorse Farm builds on 169 years of sustainable forestry practice  
with a number of programs, including climate change mitigation and  
green energy workshops. Accommodation options include yurts, tents  
and single or double occupancy rooms. Program price includes all  
meals and access to sauna, fire circles, canoes and 20 kilometres of  
trails through the 250 acre pristine forest.

At night participants will unwind, and gather around the fire, or  
make use of Windhorse facilities including a sauna and lake.  Come  
and spend time with other interesting people, and share your stories,  
goals and ideas about powering your home on wind.

Instructor Hugh Piggott, of Scoraig Scotland (http:// 
www.scoraigwind.com) has years of experience teaching such programs.

The dates of the program are April 27th to May 2nd.  The basic cost  
of the workshop and all meals is $550 if registered by March 15th.   
($650 thereafter).  Various accommodation options (additional)  
include a) bring your own tent ($60),  b) Community Tent (yurt) with  
wood-stove heating.  (see www.lfy.ca for more information on yurts)  
($145), or c) Indoor accommodations (Single or double occupancy.  
Contact Windhorse (http://www.windhorsefarm.org) for options. $185+).

For more information, and to register online, go to http:// 
www.silverfootwind.com/ .   Space limited to first 20 participants.

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  / 5 / Meetings & Web Page
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Perennial Maxwell's Plum Solar and Renewable Discussion Time

Friday night at Maxwell's Plum isn't just about boozing it up!  The  
get-together lets us do a little society business and a lot of  
discussion of renewable energy issues. So if you want to exchange  
ideas, get some ideas, bounce ideas off, some Solar experts and  
enthusiasts, Maxwell's Plum on a Friday evening -- about 5:30pm to  
about 7:00 -- is the place to be! Find us at some grouped tables near  
the windows.

The Solar Nova Scotia has as close as it comes, to a complete  
directory of renewable energy suppliers as you'll find in Atlantic  
Canada. Check out the list of corporate members here:

     http://solarns.ca/support.php