Ernie and Erica Wisner

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Ernie and Erica Wisner are a couple from Tonasket, Washington, United States, best known for their innovative rocket mass heater designs. They are often referred to as the worldwide leaders and trainers in rocket stove technology. They have made over 700 rocket stoves all over the world. [1]

Contents

Background

The Wisners were introduced to this type of work when Ernie apprenticed with Ianto Evans for two years. Evans, of Cob Cottage Co., was the designer who originally developed this type of technology 30 years ago.[ when? ] Erica and Ernie initially planned to share information about all different types of natural building, but their fans demanded otherwise. People wanted to be taught how to build rocket mass heaters and custom cob rocket stoves. [1]

Current work

Ernie and Erica now spend their time touring the world teaching workshops on how to build these energy-efficient, natural heaters. [2] They are also working to design and build a stove that will get an Underwriters Laboratory (UL (safety organization)) listing, which would eliminate insurance issues.

The Wisners helped write the building code for Portland. [1]

In 2013, they were featured in a four-DVD film series produced by Paul Wheaton. The films cover a workshop, and are titled Fire Science, Sneaky Heat, Boom Squish, and Hot Rocket. [3] Village Video produced a film with Ernie and Erica called How To Build Rocket Mass Heaters in which they again teach how to build and maintain these heaters.

In 2015, they were featured in another 4-DVD series about rocket mass heaters, this time covering how to build 10 different styles of rocket mass heaters. [4]

The Wisners have written two books, The Art of Fire and The Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide.

In 2017, both were instructors for an Appropriate Technology Course hosted by Paul Wheaton. The course was recorded and is available as a streaming video. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Permaculture</span> Approach to agriculture and land management

Permaculture is an approach to land management and settlement design that adopts arrangements observed in flourishing natural ecosystems. It includes a set of design principles derived using whole-systems thinking. It applies these principles in fields such as regenerative agriculture, town planning, rewilding, and community resilience. Permaculture originally came from "permanent agriculture", but was later adjusted to mean "permanent culture", incorporating social aspects. The term was coined in 1978 by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, who formulated the concept in opposition to modern industrialized methods instead adopting a more traditional or "natural" approach to agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cob (material)</span> Building material made of soil and fiber

Cob, cobb, or clom is a natural building material made from subsoil, water, fibrous organic material, and sometimes lime. The contents of subsoil vary, and if it does not contain the right mixture, it can be modified with sand or clay. Cob is fireproof, resistant to seismic activity, and uses low-cost materials, although it is very labour intensive. It can be used to create artistic and sculptural forms, and its use has been revived in recent years by the natural building and sustainability movements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water heating</span> Thermodynamic process that uses energy sources to heat water

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stove</span> Device used to generate heat or to cook

A stove or range is a device that burns fuel or uses electricity to generate heat inside or on top of the apparatus, to be used for general warming or cooking. It has evolved highly over time, with cast-iron and induction versions being developed. Stoves can be powered with many fuels, such as electricity, gasoline, wood, and coal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wood fuel</span> Wood used as fuel for combustion

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kettle</span> Vessel used to boil water

A kettle, sometimes called a tea kettle or teakettle, is a type of pot specialized for boiling water, commonly with a lid, spout, and handle, or a small electric kitchen appliance of similar shape that functions in a self-contained manner. Kettles can be heated either by placing on a stove, or by their own internal electric heating element in the appliance versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heating element</span> Device that converts electricity into heat

A heating element converts electrical energy into heat through the process of Joule heating. Electric current through the element encounters resistance, resulting in heating of the element. Unlike the Peltier effect, this process is independent of the direction of current.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocket stove</span>

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Renewable heat is an application of renewable energy referring to the generation of heat from renewable sources; for example, feeding radiators with water warmed by focused solar radiation rather than by a fossil fuel boiler. Renewable heat technologies include renewable biofuels, solar heating, geothermal heating, heat pumps and heat exchangers. Insulation is almost always an important factor in how renewable heating is implemented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Kettle</span> Portable kettle with a central chimney

Kelly Kettle, Storm Kettle, Ghillie Kettle, Thermette, Survival Kettle and Volcano Kettle are trade names for portable devices for boiling water outdoors using twigs and other small combustible materials; these devices consist of a water jacket surrounding a fire chamber which creates an upward chimney draft ensuring efficient and rapid boiling even in windy or wet weather.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convection heater</span>

A convection heater is a type of heater that uses convection currents to heat and circulate air. These currents circulate throughout the body of the appliance and across its heating element. This process, following the principle of thermal conduction, heats up the air, reducing its density relative to colder air and causing it to rise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wood-burning stove</span> Type of stove

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian stove</span> Type of wood burning masonry stove

The Russian stove is a type of masonry stove that first appeared in the 15th century. It is used both for cooking and domestic heating in traditional Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian and Belarusian households. The Russian stove burns firewood or wood manufacturing waste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocket mass heater</span>

A rocket mass heater (RMH), also known as rocket stove mass heater, is a form of slow-release radiant heating system, designed to primarily heat people and secondarily to warm areas in line of sight around it. Variations of RMH can also be extended for the functions of cooking, heating water, and producing warm air for distribution.

Aprovecho is the name of two non-profit organizations located in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Aprovecho Sustainability Education Center is a not-for-profit organization based in the vicinity of Cottage Grove, Oregon. Its focus is on sustainable living, including permaculture and renewable energy. Its sister organization, Aprovecho Research Center, develops efficient cook stoves for use in developing countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Wheaton</span> American permaculture author, master gardener, software engineer, and author

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Ianto Evans is a Welsh-American applied ecologist, landscape architect, inventor, writer, social critic, and teacher. He is known for his work building, writing and teaching about natural building, cob and high-efficiency solid-fuel stoves, ovens and heaters.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mackay, Mary (November 10, 2012), "Stove Really Takes Off", Times Colonist, retrieved June 12, 2014
  2. Grisak, Amy (June 12, 2013), "Rocket Mass Heating", The New Pioneer, retrieved June 12, 2014
  3. Wheaton, Paul (2013), Rocket Stove Mass Heater , retrieved June 12, 2014
  4. Markham, Derek (February 18, 2015), "Learn the 'absurdly efficient, ridiculously cheap' method of heating a home", Treehugger, retrieved May 26, 2020
  5. "Permaculture Design Course". Online Permaculture Design Course. Retrieved 2020-05-26.