passive solar

PASSIVE SOLAR

Passive Solar is a way of using the sun to heat your home without using anything but the sun and a few design modifications that will actually save you money rather than cost you money

Here is how it works.

The sun will shine directly overhead in the summer, and then at varying angles down towards the horizon as winter approaches. On the winter solstice, December 21 in the north, the sun is very low. On the summer solstice, the sun is very high.

Figure 1. Working together, the five elements of passive solar design constitute a complete and successful passive solar home design: aperture/collector (south-facing windows), absorber ([usually] hard and dark surface of wall or floor material), thermal mass (actual material that retains and stores heat), distribution (circulation of heat through natural conduction, convection and radiation) and control (roof overhangs, blinds, awnings, shade trees). Notice the differing angles of the sun between winter and summer.
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That that we know that we can use this to our advantage. If we face large windows south we will get heat gain in the winter months when needed. In the summer months when the sun is high we can add some large overhangs to the homes design to deflect the rays from entering the home. If large overhangs are not your preference we can leave deciduous trees around the south face to shade the home from the sun. If you do not have any trees on your lot, plant some the heating savings will be realised in a few years.