"I'd put my money on solar energy... I hope we don't have to wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that." -- Thomas Edison, March 1931, in a conversation with Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone.
Passive solar design
Solar hot water
Solar electricity (PV)
That's me, explaining how our solar hot water system works
Passive solar design should be a given, not an option. All homes should be designed to capture the suns energy when needed for heating a home in a cold climate. When designing for southern climates with high cooling loads shading is a critical element of this design. Orient your home to capture the suns energy for heating, hot water or PV. Minimize your exposure along sides of the house where the heat gains or losses are unwanted. Simple solar design and proper orientation can reduce your heating and cooling loads more the the most efficient appliances can. Utilizing passive solar strategies is first and foremost in any home we design, reducing the need for and even eliminating the need for other systems. Their are many elements to passive solar design and they are all relative to your location and climate. My focus has been primarily on passive solar designs in cold climates, with high heating loads and relatively low cooling loads. For more information contact me Tom Pittsley ecobuilder@aol.com
