Bus shelter
-
This is a shade structure for a desert environment where summer temps reach 117 F. It has a built in solar panel to provide night lighting and perhaps power security cameras. One end also includes a raised planter that holds a desert native, the Palo Verde (green pole) so named after its green bark. The structure could contain summer and winter rainy season run off to be pumped to the plant using power from the solar panel. I don't know if the raised planter would work as it might expose the roots to more heat than they can handle. The idea is to use the tree as a sun umbrella that would extend a dappled transition area from bright sun to the deeper shade.
-
Dear Roger,
For the planter, you might use a concrete tube inside a concrete tube with the annular space filled with a foam insulation. Could be made with standard parts if you use concrete drainage pipes. Have you completed a sun study to see if there is enough shade with several people using the shelter?
Regards,
Bob -
@watkins said:
Dear Roger,
For the planter, you might use a concrete tube inside a concrete tube with the annular space filled with a foam insulation. Could be made with standard parts if you use concrete drainage pipes. Have you completed a sun study to see if there is enough shade with several people using the shelter?
Regards,
BobThe shade effectiveness is greatest in late afternoon. So far, I have rendered about 7 or 8 different concepts. This one rendered well, but may not be my favorite in terms of function.
The foam lining is a great idea. I may even try it out at home with some above ground planters where I have some hibiscus growing. I have three planters arranged perpendicular to a south facing garden wall. Even though they are only separated by about a foot, the one closest to the reflected heat of the wall fries in summer, the middle one does OK and the most distant thrives.
Have you seen such a foam lining used in practice or is this solution the result of a thought experiment?
-
Dear Roger,
I have designed a lot of equipment needing thermal insulation (mostly cryogenic), and so I just applied a few basic ideas to your planter.
Take a look at this:
http://squ1.org/wiki/Thermal_Resistance
and this:
See http://people.bath.ac.uk/absmaw/BEnv1/properties.pdf
Painting the outer cylinder with a nice reflecting paint will also reduce the heat load on the planter.
Regards,
Bob
Advertisement