Anyone who has ever sat next to sunny a window in late summer knows exactly what passive solar energy is.
Passive solar heating and cooling represents an important step in conserving energy in the home and solar energy has become a hot topic in recent years.
Solar energy is nothing new however, people throughout time have been able to use this seemingly recent technology. The ancient Greeks used solar design in their architecture. They clearly understood that a building facing South could take advantage of the sun's heat during winter time.
The Roman's later advanced this technology buy incorporating glass in their designs in order to keep the sun's heat in the house. Though they may not have considered the benefits to the environment both the Greek's and Roman's participated in conserving the ever scare wood supply.
Like those before us passive solar heating and cooling is controlled by building elements such as windows, walls, floors, and the roof. Solar heating is designed to capture the sun's radiant heat, while passive cooling is designed to minimize that same heat. Brick, rock and stone can all be used to capture the daytime heating of the sun and provide radiant heating back during the night.
Another possibility with solar energy is the use of lighting in the home. New techniques crop up every day designed to harness the power of the sun's light in the daytime. A buildings energy requirement's can be greatly reduced by the use of this natural light. More often skylights, atriums, light tubes and light shelves can be seen in modern construction.
Passive solar cooling designs are most beneficial in the Southern regions where air conditioning is a major consumer of electric energy. By incorporating landscape techniques that prevent the the summer heat from reaching the structure energy usage can be minimized. The home or buildings climate can be further controlled by the use of shading, good insulation and the use of reflecting materials in the walls and roof.
Whether you are doing renovations or building a new house passive solar design is easy and rewarding way to be green and take care of the environment. Plus they make your home that much more desirable when it comes time to sell.