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home page » passive solar design chapter » heating & cooling performance ... you are here
Extreme testing of passive solar heating and passive solar cooling with sustainable high thermal mass design has been done in every climate. Block homes and businesses can be found in every town in the world. That's what makes an HTM so economical and functionally sensible; the common commercial style of block or poured-in-place concrete construction. Your local Quick Stop grocery/gas store was block built for the sake of economy and strength. Add exterior insulation (for heating and cooling retention) and a coat of surface bonding cement (structural stucco) for waterproofing, strength and beauty - throw in a little passive solar design (maybe some shade cloth) - and you have an HTM. Any local contractor should be more than capable of working on the project - nothing really "alternative" about it other than the function. We're certain it'll work better than a conventional structure in your climate, any climate. The huge pocket of dry, stabilized temperature ground under and around an HTM allows the Earth to passively moderate your indoor environment.
click here for the main chapter of our free Passive Solar Design eBook
Passive solar designs are geared more towards heating than cooling performance, but the principles are the same in a hot climate: moderate indoor air temperature by allowing the home's thermal mass to store energy. Cement block homes and commercial buildings are extremely common in hot climates. Their ability to discourage termites, survive hurricanes, and avoid rot and mold stands to reason, but their ability to store the cooling energy of night breezes is what makes block so attractive. Changes to the basic HTM sustainable design are site specific for hot climates, involving properly sized overhangs, use of vertical glazing, shifting the orientation more towards the view (or due north side in extremly hot climates) and adapting the exterior with a shade cloth covered trellis. Shade alongside a home substantially lowers ambient outside temperature (what the home feels through the walls). The classic southern veranda is easily re-created seasonally, and on a larger scale, with shade netting.
One thing you can not control passively (without a mechanical device) is humidity.
Shade fabric outside the home will lower temperature - and that is a good start.
Keeping the air moving past high thermal mass walls with fans helps make the environment more comfortable, but the only way to safely lower humidity is with an air conditioner or dehumidifier.
And that requires shutting the room up to lower humidity or air temperature (and using a bit of electricity).
Indoor air quality is a controling issue in design, so most hot climate clients choose to air condition only a few choice rooms.
Rooms they can air out later, when they are not occupied, like a bedroom, rather than air condition the entire structure.
Passive solar cooling is a bit of an oxymoron, at best, but there is one sure fire method to cool in any climate with minimal energy.
The same in-floor radiant heating tubes used in every other house on the block can also be used for cooling.
Simply pump cold well water (or river water) through your system of "geothermal" pipes embedded in the slab.
The radiant cooling effect makes higher room air temperatures feel much, much cooler since your ankles are chilled by the cold water running through the concrete floor.
Sustainable rural homes often feature large cisterns, orchards, gardens and ponds, so there is always a use for the water - it isn't wasted energy or natural resources.
Lacking a purpose for the water you are pumping through the floor tubing, you can always send it back down into groundwater with a drywell leaching pit or pipe back into river.
Free air conditioning!
This passive radiant cooling effect is energy-free when diverting a small stream or spring.
Architects will hopefully "discover" these complex zero-energy secrets of mine ... and the world is more than welcome to it - keep it simple folks.
Low tech, passive solar heating and cooling techniques work, naturally.
The following weather data was collected over sixty years by the local substation in Dillon (about 400 feet higher than the HTM pictured throughout this website). As you can see, this is an extremely cold climate for testing of passive solar heating sustainable design. Winter is six months long up here on the continental divide. Our HTM design has proven nearly 100% sustainable through many high country winters. We're certain it'll work just as well, if not better, in your climate, any climate. Keep in mind that you get some solar gain even on a cloudy winter day in Maine. Where there is light, there is solar energy. Catch what free energy you can and supplement the rest - just like any other home. Reflecting sunlight off a white surface (snow or bleached sidewalk) to get even more solar gain helps. Excess radiant solar energy storage (thermal mass) underneath, in the walls and floor allows you to VENT an HTM much more aggressively, while maintaining the same personal comfort level. Passive solar radiant heating and cooling is a nice alternative to conventional stick frame, air tight, high R construction where personal comfort level is maintained by air temperature alone.
click here for the main chapter of our free Passive Solar Design eBook
initial design consultation with packet $195*
Questions? Concerns? order an initial consultation to discuss your project
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$195* initial design consultation
Whether regarding HTMs specifically or passive solar in general, our initial consultation will address your concerns.
After reviewing the material, we encourage you to drop us an email with your questions.
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First, we email an extended outline of tips, tricks, and technical details, many not found on the website.
Then, we ship you a two inch binder jam-packed with the following printed information:
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plan review and HTM consultation for $1495*
after initial consultation, we can perform plan review with personal consultation
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$1495* plan review & HTM consultation
This isn't ongoing personal project consultation, and is limited to five or six emails, but we trust the plan review and follow-up consultation puts your project on the right track. |
We request that you start with the initial consultation packet for $195* to ensure a solid feel for HTM principles and get a chance to know each other first. Later, after your construction blueprints are finished, sign up for plan review consultation and send us two complete sets for study. For $1495* we will carefully pick over your plans for possible errors, better flow, wiser use of space, and alternative design possibilities. When pointing out options, we view your whole house as an independent "holistic system" chock full of inter-related, functionally inter-dependent parts from the ground up. With a project as large and complex as a new home, it's extremely easy to save more money than you spend on a good consultant. Building a home is the greatest investment of time, energy, and money most of us will ever make. Having an experienced ally giving you relatively unbiased answers to your questions is priceless. Please note that our plan review and consultation service has never included custom blueprinting, engineering or load calculations. Custom drafting and structural engineering services are best supplied by locally licensed professionals and we do not offer referrals, sorry. Always hire professionals familiar with your area's building regulations and who can physically visit your property to inspect soil, construction and materials. Here is a short biography page: whoweare.htm as way of personal introduction and our standard contract is online at: Terms of Service Agreement. We look forward to being of assistance. |
in-house consultation and personal HTM home tours are no longer available
hourly and flat-fee on-going HTM consultation services are also discontinued
don't want any consultation? DVD only for $9*
we include a free copy of the website on CD, but no phone or email time
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$9* DVD only
One hour long video on universal DVD format
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First half hour walks you through the sustainable design, HTM passive solar earthhome featured on our website. While not a How-To video, the second half does include detailed Infiltrator chamber leach field septic system installation and Sun-Mar composting toilet footage. |
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