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Loading...Passive Solar Design
- Annie B. Bond
- February 22, 1999
- 1:59 am
- 13 comments
Warm in the winter-cool in the summer. That’s how we want our homes. And if it takes a minimum amount of heating or cooling energy to keep them that way everybody wins.
Passive solar design is the way to get there. Using exactly the same pile of building materials and labor costs, you can have an energy-efficient, sunny, easy-to-maintain house, or an energy-sucking, expensive, cave-like house. Obviously the warm, sunny, low-maintenance home is going to be a lot nicer to live in, and it will be worth far more if and when you decide to sell.
- Solar Principle #1
Orient the house properly with respect to the sun’s relationship to the site. Use a compass to find true south, and then by careful observation site the house so that it can utilize the sun’s rays from the east, south, and west during as much of the heating season as possible.
- Solar Principle #2
Design on a 12-month basis. When designing a solar home, carefully plan to accommodate and benefit from the sun’s shifting patterns during the year and other natural, seasonal cycles.
- Solar Principle #3
Provide effective thermal mass to store free solar heat in the daytime for nighttime use.
- Solar Principle #4
Insulate thoroughly and use well-sealed vapor barriers. Contemporary standards for wall and roof insulation are very compatible with solar design.
- Solar Principle #5
Utilize windows as solar collectors and cooling devices. Vertical, south-facing glass is especially effective for collecting solar heat in the winter, and these windows will let in much less heat in summer, since the sun’s angle is more horizontal in winter and steeper in summer.
- Solar Principle #6
Do not over-glaze. Incorporate windows to provide plenty of daylight and to permit access to cooling breezes for cross-ventilation, but do not make the common mistake of assuming that solar design requires extraordinary
allocations of wall space to glass. An over-glazed building will overheat.
- Solar Principle #7
Avoid over sizing the backup heating system or air conditioner. Size the conventional backup systems to suit the small, day-to-day heating and cooling needs of the home.
- Solar Principle #8
Provide fresh air to the home without compromising thermal integrity. This air exchange should occur through intended openings (such as exterior-wall fans) in both the kitchen and bathroom, rather than through leakage around poorly sealed doors and windows.
- Solar Principle #9
Use the same materials you would use for a conventional home, but in ways that maximize energy efficiency and solar gain. The carefully designed and constructed solar home need not cost any more to build than a comparably sized non-solar conventional home.
- Solar Principle #10
Remember that the principles of solar design are compatible with diverse styles or architecture and building techniques. Solar homes need not look weird, nor do they require complicated, expensive, and hard-to-maintain gadgetry to function well and be comfortable year-round.
Read more: Home, Materials & Architecture, Reduce, Recycle & Reuse
Excerpted from the Real Goods Solar Living Source Book,edited by Doug Pratt and executive editor John Schaeffer.Copyright (c) 1999, Real Goods. Reprinted by permsision of Chelsea Green Publishing Company and Real Goods.
Excerpted from Real Goods Solar Living Source Book,edited by Doug Pratt and executive editor John Schaeffer.
Annie B. Bond
Annie is a renowned expert in non-toxic and green living. Named one of the top 20 environmental leaders by Body and Soul Magazine, Annie has authored four books, including "Home Enlightenment" (Rodale Press, 2005) and "Better Basics for the Home" (Three Rivers Press, 1999).
Go to the Source
The Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook
The Sourcebook remains the best introduction to energy-efficient technology for common folks.-Whole Earth Review
From novices to pros, this book explains renewable energy and efficient building practices. Great reference to start design and cost estimation from each section. One of the best features of this book is the addition of the National Electric Code for RE systems. It's possible to pick a building material to build a house, design a solar electric system, decide on appliances, determine the use of a greywater system, and more from 562 pages. No more looking up pages on the net!buy now
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
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Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
people are talking
YAY!! Most days I have at least one of these but I know regularly it's at least 4 out of 7! Not to…
What about eat tomato sauce from doypack instead of canned tomato sauce, can be better?
Love the caulking idea. I was just getting ready to redo the bath and dreading the mess. Thanks.
interesting
Very true it is all about portion control.
13 comments
+ add your ownGood information if you are building a new home and some if you are remodeling!
Thanks Annie. Solar is really the best way to go. That and any renewable energy resource really. Coal, nuclear and fossil fuels have got to go!
Thanks for the article.
solar all the way......thanks
Excellent. Thank you for posting- I really appreciated- "Using exactly the same pile of building materials and labor costs, you can have an energy-efficient, sunny, easy-to-maintain house, or an energy-sucking, expensive, cave-like house."
Does the south facing/north facing placement of windows differ if you are living in the tropics where you want to keep cool - like at 12 degrees north of the equator?
Over the last dozen or so years American homes have become what we call McMansions. Way to big. For me its pure arrogance. We need to lead by example, because much of the world thinks America is the best and what we do is what they need to do.
Fact is other countries like Sweden, Japan, Germany have better designed energy efficient homes. So lets learn from them. And places like Lowe's sell drape insulation panels that can help hold the heat in during the winter and the coolness in during the summer.
When I was at Walmart I see they carry the non mercury energy efficient light bulbs and the brushes for cleaning a ceiling fan.
How many people know that cleaning fan blades cuts down on dust allergens, and that dusting light bulbs not only extends their life but makes them brighter? And plant pole beans and even corn in front of some windows which when they are tall they provide shade while also providing edible food.
And how many American homes have insulated the floors? So many people complain about cold floors yet installing rigid insulation under the house reduces this coldness.
Plant trees!! The ones that shed leaves in winter that are on the south or west side of our home provide light and warmth in winter and shade in summer when we have 100* days for months on end. And keep windows clean. Clean windows provide better light.
~Beth~
Solar is now affordable. If you can pay your electric bill, you can afford solar for your home. New company will rent systems that it produces, installs, monitors, maintains, and repairs for what you are paying your electric company monthly,or less. Visit my website for the details and to reserve your system now. Join the solution! http://www.solarays4u.com
Solar is now affordable. If you can pay your electric bill, you can afford solar. New company will rent systems that it produces, installs, monitors, maintains, and repairs. Go to my website for details and to reserve your system today: http://www.solarays4u.com
How cool is that we can actually have houses, or even buildings that can passively cool or warm as needed! I was raised in south Brazil, where believe it or not, is really cold in the winter and our houses weren't built properly to accomodate those situations... well, I suffered so much with the cold and humidity dripping from the walls... no wonder I moved to southern California!!
There is a really cool podcast that talks about passive solar houses, here's the link yo it:
http://www.studiorma.com/GREENTECH-Show02.htm
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