ECP (Peneda Field Station)
castro laboreiro (melgaço)
inescabral@hotmail.com
tel: 251 794 016 (ECP)
http://www.weatherlink.com/user/ecp/
(weather data at ECP in real time)
http://castrejos.blogspot.com/2008/01/estao-de-campo-da-peneda.html
(TV program Biosfera broadcasting ECP)
(paper for SB`07 about ECP)
The Peneda Field Station has been our goal for a long time since the National Park of Peneda Gerês still hadn`t one. Being the only National Park in Portugal, this protected has been the case study for several ecology studies. Groups of professors and students of ecology can now use the facility in order to do field work in the park as well as gathering for discussion meetings and seminars on animal and plant ecology and conservation biology. The field station provides a classroom for 16 people and accomodation for 10 people in a retrofitted stone building equipped with modern and technological amenities.
estação de campo com carvalho centenário
Location
Located in a winter vilage (3.5km away of Castro Laboreiro), semi-abandoned and very close to a dense oakforest, the field station presents some sustainable construction features. It is equipped with solar panels for water heating wich are backed up by a biomass heating furnace, and the retrofitting/addition/adptation of the building complies with several sustainable certification criteria.
The original building
The original building had 2 stories: the living space in the upper floor and the animals shed in the lower floor. The construction was finished in the 30`s and was made out of granite walls, oakwood and ceramic tile roof. The wood for the original roof structure and floor joists as well as the stone were harvested locally. The building is located in the eastside facing hill of the Laboreiro valley with the following GPS coordinates: 42º latitude and 8º longitude, altitude of 800m, and belongs to the Melgaço county where its climate is classified as I3-V1. It occupies an area of 100m2, the patio is 75m2 and the lot extends down along the slope almost 1000m2.
edificio existente vista da varanda virada a nascente
The project
The building was recovered while maintaining the existing floor area and the roof was raised 1m in order to allow a mezanine where a common sleeping area is provided. The ground floor has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and 1 kitchen. There is also a small lab attached to the building. On the first floor there is a classroom, a living space and a bathroom. Outside there is a balcony facing east and a porch facing north.
In the annex we can find the solar water equipment and the furnace that provides hot water for baths, washing machines and central heating.
alçado nascente alçado norte alçado poente
planta do r/c planta do 1º piso planta do piso da mezanine
Thermal comfort. daylighting and indoor air quality
The building had excessive thermal mass with few and very small openings that didn´t provide enough solar gains. The building was insulated from inside with cork and the thermal mass was transfered to the exposed slabs finished with white cement. New windows were open on the south and east wall that allow more daylight and cross ventilation. Most windows are operable for night cooling in the summer with combined projected and swing sashs.
All windows have double glazing with a laminated layer in the exterior. Most openings have shutters to prevent heat losses during winter nights and intrusion. Exterior mosquito nets are provided in all projected sash. The exterior doors are sliding glazed doors that have tight air chambers in between the door and the shutter.
Materials
The materials were chosen according to sustainable criteria. Most of them were reused after the demolition of the slab and roof of the existing building, e.g. stone, oakwood and ceramic tile.
In the new roof structure, the glued laminated pine wood beams are PEFC certified (harvested in a sustainable forest).
The thermal insulation consists of corkwood panels in the roof, walls and slabs. The envelope consists of granite walls which are exposed outdoors, have a 5cm air gap and 5cm cork panel and gypsum board indoors. The roof has a 10cm cork insulation and is covered by OSB panel. The slab has a 5cm cork insulation.
In order to minimize the use of materials, gypsum boards with a 20% recicled paper content were chosem for the walls.These panels are removable to access the cabling and pumping if necessary. The radiant heating floor was finished with a white cement based mortar. The plumbing fixtures are environmentally certified.
azulejo partido reutilizado piso radiante estrutura em madeira lamelada certificada aglomerado de cortiça e OSB ladrilho de cortiça c/ velatura à base de cera de abelha
painel Fermacell (gesso e papel reciclado) teste de radão telheiro com carvalho reutilizado e telha reaproveitada
teste de formaldeido c/ frascos borbulhadores teste de COV`S com tubos Tenax
The water consumption
The water is heated by solar collectors. The taps have water reducing devices, the bath taps are thermostatic and the toilets have double flux. The rainwater is collected in irrigation ponds. The washing machines have a minimum water consumption rate per cycle.
casca de pinheiro no pátio paddies to support earth made of non-treated wood
The energy consumption
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs were installed in all lighting fixtures. The washing machines use solar hot water thru the alfamix system. Photovoltaic panels will soon be installed in the roof.
All appliances are «A» rated. Outdoors, LED light was used.
Central heating system
The central heating system is based on solar energy and biomass. The backup system is a high efficiency furnace that burns pellets.
paineis solares com 40 graus de inclinação virados a sul equipamento solar: depósito, salamandra fogão de sala a lenha proveniente da demolição
Sewage and recycling
A biological sewage plant is being designed to be built in some months.
Recycling bins are provided in the kitchen and classroom. Composting is an option.
Architectural project: Maria Inês Cabral
Enginnering Project: José Martins Nascimento- Rusticidades Lda
Contractor: Raul Gonçalves e filhos Lda
ECP use instructions :
1. Smoking is not allowed
2. The water is not suitable for drinking
Supplies:
4. It is mandatory to use biodegradeble detergents (Ecover); organic shampoos are recommended;
5. Recicled paper should be chosen
6. Rechargeable batteries can be charged in a recharger available in the building
7. Low consumption light bulbs are recommended
8. Bagless vaccum cleaner should be cleaned every week together with its filters
9. Windows should be open for night ventilation during summer (the ones that have mosquito nets)
10. During winter the shutters should be closed in order to minimize heat losses
11. Shoes and boots (wet or dirty) should be kept in the door threshold where rugs are available, thus the radiant floor will be more efficient during winter by wearing socks instead
12. In the lab the mechanical ventilation should be on while in use due to radon
13. Pay attention to the location of the fire extinguishers available: 2 in the living space, 1 in the mechanical room and 1 in the lab
14. The water tank should be used for firefighting and should be kept at a minimum level during summer garden watering
15. Winter: The furnace can hold 42 Kg of pellets or 72 hours of autonomy. The deposit shouldn´t be left empty after use. The pellets bags (weights 15Kg and cost 4.75 euros each) can be bought in armazem Pachinha (Moncão) or Fogões Afonso Macedo (Braga). The stove should be cleaned weekly and ashes should be used as fertilizer
16. Winter: the fire stove in the living room works with wood (from the demolition phase which is located in the porch), should be cleaned of ashes after use and used as fertilizer in the garden
17. winter: if there is a storm and electrical current shuts off, please connect the furnace to the battery availabe in the mechanical room
18. The washing machines use solar heated water, the water temperature of the washer should be regulated thru the mixing mechanism called Alfamix, which takes some minutes to start
19. the use of the ceramic hob and the electrical towel radiators shouldn`t be overused during summer,. The use of the charcoal grill/solar stove or the use of the clothline is preferable during hot days
20. the packaging trash selection is mandatory; there is a container for each type of trash under the kitchen counter and in the village of Castro Laboreiro,
21. In Terrachan – Entrimo (Galicia- 14Km) there is a ATM machine and supermarket, in Castro Laboreiro there is a grocery store, a pharmacy and a Boulangerie
22. the organic trash should be composted in the proper container (located in the easteside slope)
23. the cell phone network is not available at this moment, there is a portuguese TV Channel available, phone and fax machine. A phone list of local services is located next to the phone machine.
24. the internet service is ADSL and wireless
25. the electrical meter has two different taxes, the lower one for weekdays from
24h to 7am
Saturday from 22h to 9:30am
Sunday all day
26. the weather station data is available on the website: www.weatherlink.com/user/ecp
The Serra da Peneda is part of the National Park and it is one of the most well preserved areas in the Park, The area around Castro Laboreiro (located in the Montes Laboreiros) is the home of several species like wolf, deer, wildcats, garranos horses, vipers, eagles and hawks. Besides wildlife observation, the region offers natural lagoons and important patrimony such as a romanesque bridge, and a large number of dolmens (locally known as «mamoas») um in the Castro Laboreiro plateau. Set on the top of a lage rock formation we can also find the castle of Castro Laboreiro, and in the village there is also a museum where an explanation about the region planning is provided. On this mountain it is possible to do horsebacking, canoeing, and enjoy the wonderful local gastronomy. Very close to the border with the Xures Park in Galicia there is a thermal spa with public access.
http://peneda-geres.naturlink.pt/new_page_23.htm
