About Windows
The orientation of the windows is critical for solar heating. In the southern hemisphere, windows facing due north, while in the northern hemisphere, south facing windows allow passive solar heat to warm the house during the day. To maximise the heat gain, the house should have a “heat sink” or trap that warms up and releases the stored warmth slowly. This is usually as simple as using the concrete slab a house is built on. It can be more innovative, such as a wall of water filled containers or “bottles” built into a wall. The most efficient windows for passive solar heating are high efficiency windows, usually multi-paned, gas-filled windows. When used with wall, ceiling and floor insulation, they are highly efficient. Retrofitting an existing home with high efficiency windows and expanding the surface area of those windows on the sun facing side of the house will both increase the overall energy efficiency of the home and take advantage of passive solar heating.

Passive Heating
Passive solar heating usually relies on sunlight passing through windows or storing the heat in a “heat sink” that traps and releases its warmth over a long period of time. Passive solar cooling however, relies on preventing sunlight entering and heating a structure, or by creating convection currents drawing air into the building as a cooling breeze. None of these are new technologies, ancient cultures used these ideas hundreds of years ago.

Passive Cooling
Passive solar cooling is a technique of shading windows during the summer to prevent solar heat from entering the home. This can be as simple as having roof eaves of the proper depth to shade out the sun in summer but allow the lower angled winter sun to fall through the windows. Alternatively a “solar pergola” with angled slats that allow sun to shine between the angled rafters at lower angles such as early morning or later in the day. However, in the middle of the day, the slats block the sun and provide shade during the hottest time of day. Deciduous trees can also shade windows in the summer but allow sunlight to enter windows in the winter. Trees also provide cooling by shielding from hot winds and cool the air from their transpiration. In winter, the trees break up any cold airflow over and around the house.

A well designed solar passive home is not only more comfortable, but also allows greater access to outdoor views. There are many ways to provide passive cooling and heating, even when retro fitting to an older existing home.

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Home designers these days are well versed in passive solar design. However, these features are not always adopted unless asked to do so by the client, or unless required by local regulations to implement them as energy saving measures. If you are considering a new home, you are well advised to discuss the many design features that would make your home highly energy efficient and practically free of heating and cooling costs, simply by applying good design.

Solar can provide heating and cooling to the home. The heat energy of the sun can be trapped and recirculated in a heat collector on the roof or a wall. These are usually painted black and heat air or water containers that become a storage of heat, they in turn heat air which is circulated through the home. These heat storage containers can even become part of a wall, radiating warmth into the room. Typically though, the heat trap warms air that is then circulated via ducts throughout the house. A fan is used to push the warm air through your home, which can be powered by a solar panel.

Cooling is achieved in a similar way. A dark or black heat module or tower on the roof is heated by the sun. As the air in the tower is heated, it rises, it in turn draws cooler air, often drawn through underground piping where it is cooled, then into the home. This simple method can provide comfortable air temperatures in the home. When coupled with an attic fan that extracts hot air from your roof space will significantly lower internal temperature.

Providing information to online users interested in living, lifestyle ecologically sound solutions. Helping people find DIY Eco-Friendly solutions to everyday living. Visit SolarDIYTips for information solar DIY solutions.

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