How to Make a Passive Solar Home
A passive solar home is designed to use the energy of the sun. The home, its position and the building materials work together to create an energy-efficient environment. Solar design capitalizes on heat's natural capacity to move from warm materials to cool ones to create a temperature balance. Active solar systems use collectors to divert the energy. A complete passive solar design includes five elements working together -- aperture, absorber, thermal mass, distribution and control. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Large windows
- Solid wall
- Water or masonry
- Fans and ducts
- Overhangs, awnings or blinds
Instructions
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Place large windows on the wall facing south. In ideal conditions, the window should face within 30 degrees of true south. Make sure the windows are not obstructed by trees or buildings between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. This is aperture.
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Build the home so direct sunlight shines on a solid wall or other flat surface. The wall should be a dark color. Light hits the wall and is absorbed as heat.
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Create thermal mass. The thermal mass is usually the interior of the wall, where the heat is retained but can also be a water container or other material like masonry directly behind the absorber. The heat radiates from the thermal mass.
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Install ducts and fans to distribute the heat throughout the house, if necessary. Some homes can be heated entirely through the radiation of the heat.
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Control the system by installing roof overhangs or awnings that will shade the windows in the summer, when excess heat is not desirable, or install blinds that block direct sunlight.
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Tips & Warnings
Insulate the home and provide proper ventilation and moisture control to help the passive solar system's efficiency. Use sun tubes for lighting and heating small areas. Connect a water container used as thermal mass to your home plumbing system.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Iklim Ltd.
