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“Passive solar always works; it either works well or it works badly” quips award-winning builder Jim Sargent.
Passive solar building design refers to
the use of the sun's energy for the heating and cooling of living spaces.
In this approach, the building itself or some element of that building
takes advantage of natural energy characteristics in materials and air
created by exposure to the sun.
All homes are of passive solar design--either good or bad. Passive solar design can reduce heating and cooling energy bills, increase spatial vitality, and improve comfort.
Or it can do exactly the opposite.
Sunlight can provide ample heat, light, and shade and induce summertime ventilation into the well-designed home. Good passive solar design uses building orientation and landscaping plants that work with the sun rather than against the sun.
Good Passive Solar Design:
The concept sounds easy but it is actually quite complicated.
The basic natural processes that are used in passive solar energy are the thermal energy flows associated with radiation, conduction, and natural convection. Key aspects of passive design include appropriate solar orientation, the use of thermal mass, and appropriate ventilation and window placement. In a relatively humid climate such as Dallas-Fort Worth enjoys, humidity also plays a factor and the role of humidity is further compounded by the interior decorating materials, such as floor coverings, which the homeowner chooses.
Most builders, and even most architects do not fully understand good passive solar design.. What they can not fully understand, they can not use correctly.
Poor Passive Solar Design:
Man can not win a battle with the heat of the sun. The only way to counteract poor passive solar design is to throw more electricity and energy at it, a distinctively non-green approach to building.
Poor passive building design is one that is all too common in Texas, where we need to avoid the heat of the sun during all but a few months of the year.
How do you, as a potential homeowner, avoid buying or building a home with poor solar design?
Building a home: Hire an architect who uses passive solar in his/her designs or hire/consult with a green builder who understands this concept and will only build using good passive solar design.
Buying a home: Hire a passive solar consultant to guide you through the process. This is money well-spent before buying a home.
Contact Terry Jensen at 972 251-1532 or 817 545-0140.
Green Builders
972 251-1532
or 817 545-0140
The U.S. Department of Energy chose AndersonSargent
as the
National
2006 Builder of the Year
for their energy-efficient homes.
The National Association of Home Builders chose AndersonSargent as the
builder of the
"Best Green
Concept Home in America."
Jim Sargent was the first designee of the The Energy and Environmental
Building Association (EEBA) as
"Master Builder"
For more information about green building of your home with AndersonSargent, green building education, green renovation of your present home, comfortable and healthy homes, green building joint ventures, green building sales, or green building consulting, contact Terry Jensen at 972 251-1532 or 817 545-0140.
For up-to-date green building information, join our email list here.
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