Page 10
University Daily Kansas. March 3. 1983
Prof trims high utility bills with solar home
By KEITH CUTLER Staff Reporter
Rising natural gas prices worry most homeowners, but a KU professor thinks he has beaten the problem by designing a solar home.
Tom Dean, professor of architecture and engineering, has built a house that uses the sun and some electricity for heat.
Six active solar panels heat the house and water, and a greenhouse supplements heat for the house. Passive solar panels, insulated shutters and brick floors help keep the heat in. A woodscrew is used only when needed.
Dean, who has designed 40 to 50 solar homes across the nation, has lived in a solar house since he and his wife moved to Lawrence in 1975.
FOR SIX OF those years they lived in the country outside Lawrence, but last May they moved into a new home at 1304 Raintree Place.
"Our house in the country worked very well, and this one works even better," Dean said.
Using University equipment, Dean has been monitoring different spots in his house for several weeks to determine its efficiency.
"The floor temperature varies about three degrees, from 77 to 70 degrees."
Four of the six active solar panels are used to heat the house. A special anti-freeze solution runs through the
panels and along the bottom of a 17,080-gallon tank in the basement of the home.
IT THEN FLOWS into coils, and a fan blows over the coils, circulating warm air through the house.
"We get about three BTUs of heat out of every one that enters the system."
The other two panels are used either to heat water or to assist the electric motor.
"In winter, the panels heat the water to 70 or 89 degrees," Dean said.
A large greenhouse attached to the
south of the house can be used either to
heat plants or to grow crops.
Dean, a native of Texas, has two mathematics degrees from North Texas University and a doctorate in engineering from the University of Oklahoma. He had a year of graduate work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
After practicing architecture in Dallas for 10 years, Dean taught at the University of Texas.
He went next to Oklahoma State University for 12 years and spent a year at North-East London Polytechnic in London, England.
Then the Deans moved to Lawrence.
ALTHOUGH DEAN DESIGNED energy saving homes while in Dallas, the
need for such fuel conservation did not yet exist.
But Dean is kept quite busy now.
"I have not been without a design for quite some time," he said. "I think I can predict a profitable summer."
Dean said solar homes lasted longer than homes using conventional energy
"A thoughtful house designed by a thoughtful designer with experience in solar will need first class material, high durability and may cost more." be said.
BUT, HE SAID, added future benefits of solar energy are the extra cost of
Sun is causing snow for Cablevision
Sunflower Cablevision viewers who saw more snow than show yesterday afternoon were experiencing the results of the sun's interference in the transmission of the satellite signals, a teacher for the service said this week.
The interference began at 3:05 p.m. Tuesday and is expected to occur at about the same time daily until March 10, said Roger Wright, the dispatcher. Subscribers may have their signals interrupted for as long a 12 minutes.
THE PROBLEM is caused by the direct alignment of the sun and the
satellite that serves Sunflower Cable-
vision, he said.
"Basically, the sun is transmitting signals more powerful than our satellite." Wright said.
Sunflower has not received any calls about the disrupted service, Wright said.
Sunflower Cablevision channels include the Entertainment and Sports Network, Cable News Network, Home Box Office, CinemaMax, Christian Broadcasting, Kodakeleo Arts, and stations WGN from Chicago and BTG from Atlanta.
However, the company hopes soon to expand its programming.
SUNFLOWER's franchise expires in April 1984, but the company will ask the Lawrence City Commission for an extension at the commission's March 15 meeting.
now. He cited his electric bills as an immediate advantage.
The company will request the extension so it can plan for improvements. Through engineering changes, Sun Microsystems will reduce the channels it offers to between 30 and 50.
Representatives of Sunflower also want to expand the area the cable company serves to accommodate the growing area population.
His bill for the last 32-day billing period was $71.99.
"We monitored our house in the country and found that about 72 percent of our space heating was done by solar power," said Mr. Perkins, percent of the water was solar heated."
"I figure that we used $50 of electricity without any heating, just for lights and to cook," Dean said. "That cost us a lot more money, not counting the wood that I burned."
Kansas state law states that 30 percent of the cost of a solar energy system can be claimed as tax credit. The law expires June 30, but a legislative committee has recommenced credits to extend until Jan. 1, 2016.
A federal law, which expires December 31, 1985, allows a tax credit for 40 percent of the cost.
"ACTIVE SOLAR GETS the best tax credits from the government. An active water heater will cost $10,000 to $15,000. The water heater will be recollected from the government."
Although Dean designs solar houses, he also has helped people decide what kinds of solar accessories they can add to their existing homes.
He said most additions to an home for solar water heating could be done with a screen.
"I just point them in the right direction," Dean said.
The general manager from radio station KCMO in Kansas City, Kan., said yesterday that his station was considering submitting a bid for exclusive rights to broadcast KU basketball and basketball games next year.
KCMO asked to make bid
Monte Johnson, KU athletic director,
said Tuesday that six radio stations in
the state had been asked to submit bids
on a set of athletic department criteria.
Spokesmen from five media groups or radio stations said Tuesday that their organizations were considering submitting bids.
THE GROUPS were Stauffer Communications, Inc., owner of the Kansas City Royals Baseball network and the Drake and Kansas State University radio networks; KFI in Wichita; HLA in Chicago; and LAWrence; and the Kansas Information Network, owned by Misco Communications Inc. in Wichita.
Steve Shannon, KCMO general manager, said his station was also contacted by the athletic department to submit a bid.
Although two of the other stations said they had questioned the practicality of the athletic department's request for a daily sports feature show, Shannon said KCMO did not consider deciding whether to submit a proposal.
He said a decision on a bid would not be made until next week.
KU Music Therapy Student Association
RELATED ARTS SYMPOSIUM
featuring workshops in:
— Leban Movement Analysis
— Art Therapy
— Psycho-Drama Therapy
— Music Therapy
— Dance Therapy
ALL ARE WELCOME!
8:00 am-5:00 pm, Saturday, March 5, 1983
Big 8 Room, Kansas Union Building
Registration fee $2.00
M.T.S.A. is sponsored by Student Senate
- includes any regular sized sandwiches (20 varieties!) on freshly baked squat or white bread roll.
* any medium-sized
* Any of our chips
* 50c oven cake after 5:00 p.m. 749-3072
1814 W.23rd
Phone: 749-3072
Offer expires March 18, 1983
ISLAM
AN INTRODUCTION
The Islamic Center of Lawrence will have the following series of introductory lectures about Islam.
— "Definitions and Basics of Islam as a Universal Religion" Thurs., March 3, 7:00 p.m. International Room, Kansas Union
— "Oneness of God: Belief and Practice" Thurs., March 10, 7:00 p.m., Pine Room, Kansas Union
— "Mohammed (The Messenger of Allah) and the Quran" Thurs., March 24, 7:00 p.m. International Room, Kansas Union
- "Social Aspects in Islam" Thurs., April 14, 7:00 p.m., International Room, Kansas Union
- "Spread of Islam" Thurs., April 7, 7:00 p.m.,
Pine Room, Kansas Union
Everyone is Welcome!
GRAND OPENING
THE 1983 SR'S ARE HERE!
- Register for FREE $50 Gift Certificate
- Campus Sport $219.95
  —Alloy Frame, Rims & Handlebars
  —Only weighs 26 lbs.
- Free bag of Pistachio Nuts with every test ride!
1337 Massachusetts • 749-0636 (next to Mick's)
Undercover for Spring Break Cover-ups
Exciting and oh-so-practical too . . Robes of California present the classic cotton terry robe that says it all!
21 W. 9th
Open Thursday Nights till 8:00
Scholarship
One $452 scholarship will be awarded by Delta Delta Delta to a full-time undergraduate woman.
Applications available at the Tri-delt house. (1630 Oxford)
Deadline is March 26, 1983.
For further information call 843-4610.
SNA FILMS
TONIGHT
The remarkable film about Werner Herzog's struggle to film FITZCARRALDO,the story of a man who moved a ship across a mountain
"EXTRAORDINARY. One of the most exquisitely detailed, dramatically compelling films ever made about the creative process." Michael Bowen, BOSTON GLOBE
Uncut version—area premiere
7:30 p.m. $1.50
Woodruff Aud.
THIS WEEKEND
"PROFOUNDLY SHOCKING AND VERY FUNNY!"
—Archer Winston, N.Y. Post
3:30, 7:00, 9:30 MIDNIGHT Woodruff Aud.
1