Passive Solar Design When considering the layout of a home,
most people would never consider to take into account
the literally billions of watts of solar power that
pour over the surface of the house year round.
Proper passive solar design requires advantageous
orientation of the home, and is the best way to ensure
that it collects the maximum amount of solar energy
possible when it's really needed, and also to try to
guarantee that an adequate amount of shade is
available in the hot summer months.
How can passive solar design be done simply?
It's all about orientation! A home positioned
with one of its walls perfectly aligned with
true south (not
magnetic south) stands to benefit the most from the
techniques of passive solar design. It also ensures that
one side of the home will experience a great deal of
comforting shade in the winter.
Deciduous trees are a favorite of many a passive
solar design enthusiast. They can provide just the right
amount of shade when placed on the side of the house that
experiences the most summer sun. Then, in autumn and
winter, the leaves fall off and expose the home to more
sunlight, just when it's the most welcomed. Evergreen
trees, like cedar and pine, should be placed near the
northern and eastern faces of the home, providing an
excellent windbreak.
Don't forget windows! Passive solar design
requires the right kinds of solar collectors, and windows
fit the bill as the biggest and simplest collectors you'll
use. Here are some window tips:
And of course, don't forget
insulation
As noted on my page about solar energy systems, it is
FAR better economically to try to trap whatever heat is
already building in the home rather than spend money on
systems to generate more, EVEN when the energy source is
free (the sun or wind). The equipment will cost you
something. You want to
insulate your home as best as you can
afford before buying a bunch of new equipment. Some
homes I've seen that focus on proper passive solar design
are so well insulated that you could fire a gun inside and
never hear it outside with the doors closed, thanks to the
insulation. (Not that I'd want to).
Leaky doors, windows, power outlets, rafters, attic spaces,
walls and floorboards can quickly kill any of the precious
heat buildup inside the passive solar design home. Not that
in this case, you are focussing on building your home just
like a greenhouse.
Many people think that a greenhouse is designed to limit
the escape of radiative heat (the heat that radiates
in through windows, for example). In reality, it is
focussed on stopping the loss of convective heat,
which is heat that is generated in the house, say by
heating of the floors and walls by the sun, that then heats
the air inside. It is this hot air that you are attempting
to trap.
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