I really like those traditional Russian oven fireplace designs, very efficient. Like when they have the central brick mass and spiralling flu inside it and the little spot for a bed ect. I can almost imagine that style of fireplace in the center of a building something like this, along with the solstice angled design for the south facing glass, then second glass barrier after the conservatory zone then with really thick curtains behind them to close after sundown. Would be incredibly efficient probably, make a very little bit of firewood or gas heating go a really long way in the coldest places/winters.

It's definitely worth people understanding that, you can air condition your home quite well with just a fan or two rather than anything more intensive. I'm now thinking about my apartment thermals a bit more as you mentioned and after this hot summer. I use all my grey water to flush these days also after seeing these buildings, although no way to build little indoor gardens to run it through. These buildings just work from sunlight convection though don't they. You just open or close the cupboard at the back, no fan required due to the windows being south facing and the tube running under a lot of earth cools the air drawn through from the north side. I'm thinking I might be able to install a transom for n my attic I wonder if that will work more or less, or at least help if I leave the attic hatch open..

PS I’m so GRATEFUL for your generous spirit and outreach - much love and hugs 💕

I think this is about simplifying a design procedure, such as they don't need to angle the glass in this climate either as that complicates the construction process more. They just need the big thick curtains to hold heat after sundown instead. They've integrated mains gas into their own systems also ect to reduce issues with building regs. I think it gets very cold there in winter but in very very very cold climates like Canada or Siberia maybe, the angled glass and second set of windows would again bare considering more perhaps. I think though it makes a whole lot of of sense to strip the design principles down to some of the most fundamental aspects, in fact it's very important to do so. Michael and Co are have researched everything incredibly well for decades, visionaries.