Background
The idea of a cold box is to create a naturally controlled environment that provides short-term housing for fresh fruits and vegetables. The cold box works best if constructed on the northernmost wall of the home or building. It is designed to take in cool air from the outdoors through a vent, allow the air to rise up through the shelves of food, and exit through a top vent. The air that circulates up and through not only is a method of cooling the fruits and vegetables but also removes any of the odors resulting from the ripening process. Insulated walls inside the box maintain it at a cool temperature. This is a simple project that provides an energy efficient solution to a refrigerator as well a offer proper housing for fruits and vegetables which may reduce waste.
Description of Opportunity
The cold box that I design and build will be for the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT) house at Humboldt State University. Years ago they did in fact have one and even though they haven't for the past few years, the cut out and vents are still in tact. After their house was relocated, they unfortunately lost much of the appropriate technologies that were implemented. It is up to me to give them a cold box once again while striving to make it even more efficient.
Criteria
- Locality of Materials
- Thermal Effectiveness
- Mold and Rot Resistance
- Sustainability
- Cost
- Aesthetics
- Social Justice
- Environmental Justice
- Demonstrativeness
The criteria I have chosen to use for this project are to facilitate the most appropriate cold box that I can in this location as well as to create a design that can be used by CCAT as a demonstration to others.