If you are about to build a home in the Houston area, simply choosing a good floorplan, elevation and lot placement can make your home quite a bit more energy efficient. This technique is called Passive Solar Design. Although the design utilizes the sun to help heat your home in the winter and block much of the sun in the winter, Solar Panels are not a necessity.
In order for this to work properly there needs to be a focus on the South Facing side of the house-many choose the back. Expertise in design from someone who has designed Passive Solar Homes in the past is a great idea as well.
As you know, the South side of the home gets the most Heat from the Sun. During the summer, the sun sits higher in the sky than in the winter. When you place overhangs at the windows, they help to block the Texas sun in the summer. With the windows properly sized and placed, they take direct heat in the winter-when you need it.
There are many other options to maximize your Passive Solar Design such as a Greenhouse or Patio to trap the heat during the day to use at night and the options for how your home can “look” are endless. A Green and Passive Solar Home can look just like about any other home built.
If you would like more information on Passive Solar Homes in the Houston area or contacts for qualified Architects familiar with this style please feel free to contact me. The lot placement and design are imperative for Passive Solar Design to work properly.
Photo Courtesy of www.eere.energy.gov Another great website for more information
No Comments so far ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.