Greenovation Remodel Project Lead by Dr. Anna Marie, Health Specialist for The Weather Channel, Features State-of-the-Art Solar Metal Roofing

The Greenovation of Terra Verde is showcasing the latest technological advances in solar metal roofing with the help of OneSource Coil Coaters, ASI Building Products and Kelly Roofing and Energy Savings Solutions.

“Besides qualifying for energy rebates, there are many benefits to using painted aluminum roofing,” said Michael Smith, vice president of sales and marketing for OneSource Coil Coaters.

Dr. Anna Marie, Health Specialist for the Weather Channel and host of the nationally syndicated better living show Your Life with Dr. Anna Marie, is transforming her energy-sucking 1970’s Florida-style ranch home into an eco-friendly, energy and water efficient, and ultimately healthy home. The Greenovation of Terra Verde is showcasing the latest technological advances in solar metal roofing with the help of OneSource Coil Coaters, ASI Building Products and Kelly Roofing and Energy Savings Solutions.

Solar metal roofing on barn at Terra Verde

OneSource Coil Coaters is providing Terra Verde with Regal White painted aluminum that is Energy Star® Rated and features a reflective rating of .68 for the barn and the house. The combination of the reflectivity number and a high emissivity rating of .88 means the Regal White paint will not heat up over 100 degrees even on those days when it is 95 degrees under a hot Florida sun. The Regal White painted aluminum roof doesn’t allow heat in the attic, thus keeping the attic and the rest of the home cool.

As a result of the Stimulus Package signed in February of 2009, homeowners who make energy efficient updates to their home – the installation of a painted or coated Energy Star® labeled metal roof included – between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010 may be eligible for a tax credit worth 30 percent of the installation costs (materials only) up to $1,500 per home over the two-year period.

“Besides qualifying for energy rebates, there are many benefits to using painted aluminum roofing,” said Michael Smith, vice president of sales and marketing for OneSource Coil Coaters. “It is light weight, durable, corrosion resistant, energy efficient, aesthetically appealing, and infinitely recyclable. Nearly 75 percent of aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in use today, and 95 percent of aluminum used in buildings is recycled. An aluminum roof can easily give 50 years and even upward to 100 years, of service before replacement needs considered.”

OneSource Coil Coaters worked with ASI Building Products, both Florida-based businesses, to provide the new aluminum roofing with a thin-film PV that absorbs energy from the sun. Power generated from the thin-film PV surface goes directly to meeting the home’s energy needs.

“ASI Building Products offers an affordable standing seam roofing system that harvests clean renewable solar energy,” said Cookie Brickman, vice president of ASI Building Products. “A thin-film solar laminate is fused to the surface of the metal roofing panel, eliminating the unsightly solar panels and any penetrations into the roof, which means no leaks.”

Kelly Roofing and Energy Savings Solutions in Naples, Florida, installed the new metal roofing on Terra Verde. Ken Kelly, president of Kelly Roofing and Energy Savings Solutions, estimates that 50 percent of his business in 2009 was metal roofing, up from just 9 percent in 2008. Kelly attributes this to:

•Asphalt shingle prices, historically the least expensive roofing product available, have experienced 16 price increases in a row to the point where they are now very close to the price of metal. Since metal is a far superior system customers are replacing their roofs with metal. Metal lasts more than twice as long as shingles with a minimal difference in price. Shingles are asphaltic, an oil refinement byproduct, and as the price of oil rises so does the price of shingles.

•The $1,500 tax credit granted through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 is another motivator. Now certain metal roof systems are actually less expensive than asphalt shingles with the tax credit.

•More metal being installed makes metal more acceptable. Metal used to be viewed as an architectural or industrial system. Not anymore. With over fifty profiles to chose from and countless colors, metal is applicable to any building design.

•Storm protection. After the 2004/2005 record setting hurricane seasons Florida residents discovered what we knew all along. Metal was, by far, the best roof system for protection. With virtually zero metal roof failures across the state, insurance companies and roofing contractors started recommending the system more.

Terra Verde (Green Acres) sits on 23 beautiful acres adjacent to the Ocala National Forest. From the original single pane metal framed windows to the heating oil tank buried in the front yard, this energy inefficient home has been untouched since the first concrete block was laid almost forty years ago. For more information and to follow the progress on the Greenovation of Terra Verde can be followed on www.terraverdetv.com.

Dr. Anna Marie

Dr. Anna Marie has been a broadcast television correspondent for over a decade. By combining her medical training, broadcast experience and interest in helping people live full and healthy lives; Dr. Anna Marie has become a popular source of medical information on television today. Since 2003, Dr. Anna Marie has partnered with The Weather Channel to provide millions of viewers with health living information to help keep the effects of weather from impacting their everyday life.

OneSource: www.onesource-llc.com

ASI: www.asibp.com

Kelly Roofing: www.kellyroofing.com

Wayne Frazier: www.wizardroofing.com

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Larry Laseter, president of Efficiency First Capitol Circle member Masco Home Services, joined Barack Obama in Savannah, Ga., on Tuesday as the President delivered a speech outlining details of the proposed HOME STAR efficiency retrofit program. Here is a video released by the White House that shows a brief behind-the-scenes conversation between Larry Laseter and President Obama:

“We’re in the business of doing this now, and just like the GOLD STAR program, we actually guarantee their first year of energy savings” Laseter told the President. “That’s the beauty of this, is we know these technologies are proven, and with this bill, it will jump-start thousands of jobs.”

via Efficiency First

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From Google.org

Today we’re excited to introduce the Google PowerMeter API on code.google.com, for developers interested in integrating with Google PowerMeter. This API will allow device manufacturers to build home energy monitoring devices that work with Google PowerMeter. We’re launching this API in order to help build the ecosystem of innovative developers working towards making energy information more widely available to consumers.

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Builder groups in Indiana and Minnesota offer two different models for success for states with lagging efforts.
By: John Caulfield via EcoHome

After a slow start, the Indiana Builders Association in recent weeks has been “ramping up” its program to weatherize low-income housing and, in the process, create remodeling jobs. Builder-members participating in this effort are now weatherizing about 150 homes per week, and sometime this summer the HBA expects to meet its goal of weatherizing 3,300 units, says CEO Rick Wajda.

Indiana awarded the association $21 million of the $130 million the state received from what the federal government allocated for weatherization from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. However, through Feb. 16, Indiana had completed just less than 5%—974 out of 19,736—of the housing units it plans to weatherize under this grant. And that’s nowhere near the worst performance among all states, according to a progress report on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program, which went into effect a year ago.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

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Find other homes, or monitor your own, at www.Wattvision.com

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DETROIT, March 2 /PRNewswire/ — The Michigan Public Service Commission today approved Detroit Edison’s first Engineer, Procure and Construct contract for the utility’s SolarCurrents renewable energy program.

The regulatory approval paves the way for Detroit Edison to start its own commercial solar projects at various locations throughout its Southeastern Michigan service area. [Note: Check our your solar potential and financing options at http://www.joolze.com/]

The $18-million, one-year contract was awarded to Nova Consultants Inc. of Novi. The contract directs Nova to analyze the feasibility, design, installation and start-up of up to 3 megawatts of photovoltaic (PV) solar systems to be installed on Detroit Edison-owned, as well as customer-owned facilities.

“This contract will provide a number of new energy opportunities for our larger customers, as well as economic development benefits for the region as a whole,” said Trevor Lauer, DTE Energy vice president, Retail Marketing. “We’re interested in installing solar photovoltaic systems at businesses, educational institutions and non-profit organizations.”

Nova Consultants is a full-service engineering, environmental and energy services company founded in 1992.  The minority-owned company has projects throughout North America in the automotive, utility and educational markets, among others. Nova will work with Michigan firms to complete the installation of the solar systems.

Detroit Edison is an electric utility serving 2.1 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a subsidiary of DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE), a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Information about DTE Energy is available at www.dteenergy.com.

SOURCE Detroit Edison

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RELATED LINKS
http://www.dteenergy.com

http://www.joolze.com/

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More and more communities are looking for better ways to manage their urban forests. Whether that means seeking more eco-friendly options, or supporting more local initiatives, or both, developing a program to reclaim community wood will assist in reaching those goals.

Urbanwood isn’t really much different from traditional wood. It’s durable, beautiful and renewable. The only difference is that it doesn’t come from typical forests or lumber yards. Rather, it grows in backyards, parks, and neighborhoods.

John "Sawmill John" Haling is an urban sawyer in Michigan. Photo by Peter Hoffman.

Unfortunately, trees removed from our cities are often seen as waste, and generally end up in a chipper. Urbanwood programs seek to end this cycle, by working to save logs. This creates a wide variety of green products, conserves resources, and supports local jobs.

Turning an urban tree into a finished product is labor-intensive, but well worth the effort. Hazardous trees are removed due to death, disease, or development. Quality logs are handpicked and set aside. Local mills process the logs one at a time to preserve each one’s unique character. The lumber from this “waste” wood becomes beautiful furniture or flooring for your home.

Furniture made from urban wood by designer Paul Hickman

The U.S. Commerce Department found that 73,000 American furniture jobs were eliminated between 2000 and 2002. During the same period, U.S. sales of Chinese-made furniture exploded from $405 million to $5.82 billion.

Municipalities and urban areas can reach their environmental and think-local-first goals with an urbanwood program in more than one way. The most important aspect is to promote the highest and best use of a community’s wood resources. Secondly, by capturing the lumber value contained in trees and utilizing it within the communities it came from, jobs are created and dollars are kept right in the neighborhoods.

According to Jessica Simons, a project coordinator for the Southeast Michigan Resource Conservation and Development Council’s Urbanwood program, “Southeastern Michigan’s dead urban trees could produce enough lumber to build 362 average-sized homes each year.”

Urbanwood is a natural choice for green building projects, because it conserves resources by keeping good wood from going to waste. Since all harvesting, processing, and sales happen locally, urbanwood products create fewer transportation emissions than other eco-friendly options.

In addition to the environmental and economic benefits, programs are rewarded through building connections between producers and end users. Urbanwood programs also increase the opportunity to enhance public understanding of sustainable working forests and landscapes.

Kitchen cabinets made from dead urban ash trees

To learn more about urbanwood programs that are currently in operation all over the country, visit the following Web sites:

Southeastern Michigan (http://urbanwood.org),

Mid-Atlantic region (http://www.urbanwoodexchange.org),

Los Angeles (http://www.urbanwoods.net),

Chicago (http://illinoisurbanwood.org)

Seattle and San Francisco (http://www.urbanhardwoods.com).

Jennifer Eschelbach is a GreenovationTV Contributing Writer and in charge of outreach for the The Environmental House Energy & Green Building Resource Center (EnHouse) in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The EnHouse is a comprehensive resource and touring facility dedicated to furthering the causes of green building, energy efficiency and renewable energy. Jennifer is currently working on her second bachelors degree from Eastern Michigan University in Urban and Regional Planning.  She loves the smell of energy efficiency in the morning.
Music featured in video by Josh Woodward (Creative Commons)

Photos courtesy Paul Hickman and Peter Hoffman

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Listen to Matt’s story on The Environment Report syndicated on NPR stations nationwide.

We know that a hardware store sells hardware.  So, what in the world does a ReStore sell? . . . . It sells any kind of RE you can imagine: REducing, REusing, REcycling .

Habitat ReStores are retail outlets which help you restore your house for a fraction of the cost while helping out a great cause.  In addition to

Bathroom made with reused material from reuse centers: mirror, clawfoot tub, sink, marble floor, picture frame, moldings, plumbing parts, cabinets, antique doors and paint Photo by Dave Lewinski

raising funds for Habitat for Humanity, ReStores help the environment by keeping quality, usable materials out of landfills and putting them back into good use.

Materials sold by Habitat ReStores are usually donated from building supply stores, contractors, demolition crews or from individuals who want to support Habitat for Humanity and keep stuff out of landfills.

When our very own Dr. Anna Marie renovated her home in Florida, she donated all of the old cabinets and appliances to her local Habitat ReStore (watch the video).  When Kelly and I needed reclaimed brick for our patio, salvaged lumber for our moldings, antique doors and a claw foot tub for the new bathroom, an outdoor fireplace, plumbing supplies, and even tools, we found it all (and more) at the ReStore and saved tons of money.

Reuse centers like the ReStore can be found in virtually every community in North America (see below to find a store near you).  They are a green remodeler’s dream come true and a perfect way to reach the goal of zero waste.

You can literally build an entire house from materials from a reuse center.

You’ll typically save 50% – 90% by skipping the big box stores and finding what you need at a ReStore.  So, use fewer natural resources, keep good stuff out of landfills, help a charity and save a little money . . . You can’t beat that.

Check out The Story of Stuff if you’re not already convinced about reuse.  You’ll definitely want to check out all the cool stuff over at the great new website www.AltUse.com if you’re looking for alternative uses for stuff you’ve got laying around the house but can’t bring yourself to drop by the ReStore.

by Matt Grocoff

Related Links:

Habitat ReStore Directory – United States

Habitat ReStore Directory – Canada

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via U.S. Department of Energy

FTC Proposes New Output-Based Labels for Light Bulbs

The days of referring to a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) as being “equivalent to a 60-watt light bulb” may soon be over, as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed new labels for light bulbs that are based on light output rather than energy consumption. The marketplace has been changing quickly with the emergence of newer, more energy-efficient technologies—such as CFLs and light-emitting diode (LED) products—as traditional incandescent bulbs are phased out. The proposed labels provide consumers with information to help them choose among different bulb types.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) seeks public comments on new labels that emphasize lumens, not watts, as the measure of bulb brightness. This information, along with estimated energy cost information, would appear on the front of the light bulb package. The back of the package would display a “Lighting Facts” label modeled after the “Nutrition Facts” label for food packages. The Lighting Facts label would provide information about brightness, energy cost, the bulb’s expected life, color temperature (for example, whether the bulb provides “warm” or “cool” light), as well as wattage. The label also would require disclosures for bulbs containing mercury. The bulb’s output in lumens—and a mercury disclosure for bulbs that contain mercury—would also have to be placed on the bulb itself. The NOPR was published in the Federal Register on November 10, and comments are due by December 28.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires the FTC to consider the effectiveness of current bulb labeling requirements and explore alternative labeling approaches. As the first step, the FTC issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking last year, seeking comments on existing labeling requirements and possible labeling alternatives, and then held a public roundtable to gather more information. See the FTC press release, and the Federal Register Notice (PDF 663 KB), which includes samples of the proposed labels.

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A behind the scenes look into the world of reclaimed and sustainable wood and an eco-friendly company that creates eco-friendly flooring from reclaimed, salvaged and FSC certified wood.

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Click Here to listen to our shower head segment on The Environment Report syndicated on public radio stations nationwide

POP QUIZ:

Which of These Household Items Wastes the Most Energy? HINT: It’s the one without the plug

a. Refrigerator

b. Dishwasher

c. Plasma Screen with Surround Sound

d. Showerhead

Wasting Shower Water Wastes Energy

We Americans really love our showers.  We shower more often and longer than any other culture on the planet (see below for useless facts about shower habits). To enjoy our drenching showers, the average household annually spends $400-600 on water-heating, which doesn’t include the additional $300 spent on water bills.

By 2013, 36 states are expected to experience catastrophic water shortages.  But, if don’t care that 900 million people globally don’t have access to clean drinking water, maybe you’ll have some compassion for that $100 bill in your wallet.

It’s easy to forget that saving water in the shower is actually saving energy.  After your heat and a/c, your showerhead and sink faucets are the second biggest energy hogs in your home.

The good news is there is a really simple solution, even if you can’t afford to upgrade your water heater.  Replacing your current showerhead with a state-of-the-art low flow will save you between 40% – 70%. [Translation: $100 to $220 per year]

State-of-the-Art Low Flow Showerheads Really Satisfy

Let’s be honest.  The original low flow showerheads really sucked.  There’s a Seinfeld episode where Kramer is forced to go to the black-market to find a shower head made for circus elephants, just to avoid the lame performance of the poorly designed low-flow installed by his landlord.

But, the latest generation of high-efficiency shower heads are engineered to feel the same or better than your old-school energy hog of a showerhead.  They are also stylish.  In fact, high-end hotels like Paris Las Vegas and Ceasar’s Palace are using Bricor shower heads which use as little as 1.25 gallons per minute.  If it’s good enough for the suite as Ceasar’s, it’s good enough for your shower at home.

Check out the list below of what some of the manufacturers are offering in high-performance low-flow showerheads.

The Math of Showerheads

Click here to calculate how much you can save

Non-conserving showerheads (pre-1992) use 5 to 8 gpm, consuming up to 64 gallons of water for a single 8-minute shower. That’s more than an entire tank of hot water.   If your showerhead is old enough to vote . . . it’s time to replace it.

Here’s the math:

Average U.S. household shower use (based on assumption of three 10-minute showers per day)

SAVINGS PER HOUSEHOLD USING A 1.5 Gallon Per Minute showerhead

Useless Facts About Showering Habits

Peeing in the shower once a day can save 1,000 gallons of water per year

63% of Americans shower at least once a day

11% shower more than once a day

1% less than once per week

Men tend to shower more often than women

Favorite way to save water: Showering together

Sixty percent of Americans share a shower area with a spouse or significant other

25 percent share space with children, and 17 percent allow guests to use their shower

GTV recommends these high efficiency showerheads which use 1.75 gallons or less:

Bricor – 1/2 gallon to 1.5 gallons per minute options  A Greenovation favorite (but tough to find retail)

Available at Natural Abode

Price: $109

Hansgrohe – 1.6 gpm A Greenovation Best Buy

Available at NeedPlumbingSupplies.com

Price: $27.55

American Standard Flowise – 1.5 – 2.0 adjustable

Available at Home Depot

Price: $48.75

High Sierra Showerhead 1.5 gpm

Price: $24.95 – $29.95

Kohler – Forte’ 1.75 gpm

Available at Home Depot

Price: $63.71

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Photos Courtesy of Dave Askins

If you want to save some energy, one of the first appliances to target is your washing machine.  You could buy yourself a high efficiency front loading washer and really save some energy and water.  Or, if you’re as committed as Dave Askins, you could build your own washer out of some reused parts and power the washer with your own calories.

Dave's Amish Handcranked Washer

This is not some proof of concept or some demonstration project.  This is actually how Dave does his laundry.  On his website, HomelessDave.com Dave has tracked every bicycle powered load of laundry he’s done since July 2007 (149 and counting).

To be fair, Dave doesn’t use his bicycle to power his entire wash, spin and rinse cycles.  He gets a little help from the Amish.  For the wash cycle he uses an Amish-style “James Handwasher.”  It washes clothes, not hands.

The bicycle helps Dave spin the clothes dry without using a labor-intensive, and inferior, hand-cranked wringer.

Once he realized his system worked, Dave added an electric power generator so that he could watch TV or DVDs while he does his laundry. 

For answers to all your questions about building your own pedal-powered washer visit Dave’s website . Dave Askins is the publisher of the Ann Arbor Chronicle.

How Dave Did It . . .

From www.HomelessDave.com

Additional documentation is organized based on these three elements. [Click here for details on electric power generation.  This is how Dave can watch "J.J. The Jet Plane" while he does his laundry]

Modifying the Washer (unbolting stuff)

(1) Remove the white metal shell from the washing machine.

(2) Remove the electric motor from the washing machine frame.

(3) Remove the pulley from the motor shaft.

(4) Detach the drain hose that leads from the tub to the pump.

(5) Remove ‘brakes’.

(6) Save the belt from the pulley.

Discussion:

Tension Roller

(1) Notes (Remove the white metal shell from the washing machine): Just unscrew every nut/screw you can find. Most of them are pretty accessible. Be prepared to cut some electrical wires. What you want is the part you see pictured above. Or something like it.

(2) Notes (Remove the electric motor from the washing machine frame): This will require navigating a wrench into very tight spaces. It pays to have a very small socket driver. When you’re tearing out the motor, preserve the tension roller arm [cf. picture]. This is important for keeping the drive belt on the pulley under high rpms.

(3) Notes (Remove the pulley from the motor shaft) The motor I dealt with was attached to the shaft with a tension pin. I knocked it out with a nail set. There may be two pulleys on the same motor shaft, one driving the washer and one driving the pump. The one you want is the one driving the washer.

(4) Notes (Detach the drain hose that leads from the tub to the pump) The automatic washer is set up to feed the draining water to a pump, which is then typically pumped up into one of those large laundry sinks. You’re not going to be pumping anything, so you want the water to run straight out of the tub into the bucket you will eventually set up, something like this:

Drain Detail

(5) Notes (Remove ‘brakes’): Mounted under the tub, there may be little wedges designed to ‘brake’ the tub in the event things get out of control. Get rid of these and anything else that obviously interferes with the free rotation of the tub. The washer I modified had little brake pads housed as indicated in the photo:

Brake Detail

Modifying the Trainer (drilling stuff)

(1) Get some tension pins.

(2) Get a drill bit to match.

(3) Drill three evenly spaced holes through the pulley.

(4) Position the drilled pulley onto the flywheel so that it’s perfectly centered.

(5) Drill through the flywheel.

(6) Hammer in the tension pins

Discussion:

(1-6) Notes: Take the pulley you’re going to drill to your local hardware store (in Ann Arbor, my choice is always Stadium Hardware) and say something like: “I’m going to drill through this three times and I need to put tension pins in there.” You will leave with a drill bit and three matching tension pins. Buy four pins if you plan to drop one where you can’t find it. There’s probably some quick and dirty way to lay out three evenly spaced holes on the pulley using some trick from middle-school geometry that I don’t know. I used Photoshop and printed it out. The pulley might have a flat side and a curved side. Because the flywheel to the bike trainer resistance unit is likely flat, use the rule: flat goes against flat. CRUCIAL: the holes can’t go through the ‘flangey’ part of the pulley … that’d put pins in the way of the belt. As you can see from the detail shot below, you might break off a drill bit, if you’re not careful (look at the right side). It’s important that these holes be ’straight’, that is to say at a 90 degrees angle to the surface of the pulley. I used a drill guide attachment to my hand-drill for this. A drill press would be better. Probably the best strategy is to drill the holes through the pulley first, then go for the holes through the flywheel, using the pulley as a template.

Tension Pin Detail

How do you position the pulley on the flywheel so that it’s perfectly centered? Long story short, I eyeballed it. I helped myself out by spinning the flywheel and using a Sharpie permanent marker to scribe several concentric circles onto the flywheel for additional visual reference points. I also gently rotated the flywheel (after turning the flywheel on its side) with the pulley resting where I thought it looked centered, and evaluated if it seemed centered under slow rotation. I epoxied the pulley in place, so that I didn’t have to worry about slippage during drilling of the flywheel.

Preparing the Interface (positioning stuff)

(1) Position the bicycle training-stand and the washer in a configuration you estimate will work.

(2) Take a piece of string as an ersatz belt to get an estimate of how long your belt will need to be.

(3) Take the old belt and your measurement (or just the string) to your hardware store and ask for one just like it but longer.

Drill Plywood

(4) Place the two back feet on predrilled plywood pads.

(5) Drill spaces for the washer feet and place big plywood under the washer.

(6) Install the belt with the training stand resting on the big plywood.

(7) Test out the configuration a bit.

(8) Drill holes for the training stand feet.

Discussion (1-8):

The belt drive requires a fixed distance between the two pulleys. The idea here is to engineer a plywood base to keep the bicycle training stand and the washer at a fixed distance. The washer feet furthest away from the training stand need not be a part of the rigid mechanism, but they need to be padded so that the washer isn’t off balance. The rotation of an automatic washer’s spin cycle is, as best I can tell, directional. Figure out which direction it’s supposed to go. Put the twist in the belt (necessary to convert vertical spin into horizontal spin) accordingly.

The Dirty Laundry (the downside of this project)

I initially used this configuration for about 10 loads of laundry over the course of two weeks (that’s 30 spin cycles, as I spin the clothes out between each of two rinses in the hand-cranked washer). I was quite enthusiastic about the results and I still am. I imagine I’ll keep doing the majority of our household laundry with this method long into the future. Before embarking on a similar DIY project, I advise others to consider:

(1) It takes above-average strength and conditioning to pedal the original configuration of gears I set up. Over the course of about a minute, I was able to accelerate to 50 rpms, and then sustain it for 3-4 minutes. The bicycle gearing was roughly 2:1. The ratio of the circumference of the roller contacted by the bicycle tire to the tire itself is roughly 1:25. The ratio of the drive pulley’s circumference to the working pulley is around 1:4. So the rough aritmetic for the laundry tub is (50 x 2 x 25) / 4 = 625 rpms. I don’t know what the original rating for this particular model was (I don’t know what model is was, for one thing), but when I called GE’s customer service phone line, the representative looked up a few different motor ratings for me (and by the way, that customer service rep really impressed) and from that I concluded that the range of spin-cycle rpms is something like 450-650 rpms. So this configuration spins on the high side of average. Ideally, you’d want to be spinning the pedals closer to 90 rpms, so that it’s an aerobic effort, stressing the joints less, etc. With the gearing on the original configuration, spinning the tub at a normal spin cycle speed required slow grinding of the pedals. [Update: swapping the double-ring crankset with a triple ring sporting a very small inner ring, allowed a gear ratio of close to 1:1, resulting in a pedaling rpm of close to 90.]

(2) The rider of this configuration needs to try for a super-smooth pedal stroke. Violent accelerations within the pedal stroke lead to slippage between the bicycle tire and the resistance roller. Cycling shoes that clip to the pedals (you pull up as well as push down) help to smooth this out. Still, extra concentration is required.

(3) The resistance unit itself, even on its lowest setting (if it’s a magnetic unit) will sap energy from your pedaling that could go into spinning laundry. At least the resistance on a magnetic unit (which mine was) is typically adjustable. A fluid-resistance unit would typically offer no such adjustment. [Update: I completely removed the magnetic resistance unit and replaced it with an additional drive pulley to power an electric generator.]

(4) The resistance unit will pretty much be ruined for regular indoor bicycle training even if you leave it in place. This comes from the fact that the pulley mounted to the flywheel is likely going to be off-center enough that under the higher rpms typical of an indoor training session, it will cause the unit to emit an unholy noise. Mine did, anyway.

April-Fresh Goodness: (the upside of this project)

(1) Gray water recycle-ability: I empty that bucket from the spun laundry into a toilet tank.

(2) Zero electricity for entire laundry load if you dry on a rack.

(3) Drying puts moisture into the indoor air (good in winter).

(4) Exertion on the cycle is a good workout.

(5) Exertion on the cycle throws off heat into the indoor environment (good in winter, not great in summer.)

Bear in mind for future adaptation of indoor training resistance units:

(1) Precise centering of pulley.

(2) Elimination of resistance unit resistance.

(3) Use bicycle with a granny gear to increase pedaling rpms.

Ideas:

(1) Manufacturers of resistance trainers: build V-belt groove into flyweel.

(2) Mount pulley on the bicycle wheel on the opposite side of the gear cluster.

(3) Pedal-powered laundrette in student dormitories.

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