Overlooked Passive Design Strategies
For starters...
In sustainability talk, first and foremost, the golden rule should be to REDUCE consumption before increasing production.
Rule number 2: Get what you can maintain. It's no point getting the most expensive technology which is all so cool but you have no idea how to maintain or operate it properly.
In the present hype, these basic green design strategies are often not discussed, but are critical to how your building will perform, and how it'll affect your bottom line. Instead, people opt for more visible and instant gratification that they are "saving" the environment, with superficial efforts like installing wind turbines and solar panels. Yes they are great and good to have, but they shouldn't be your first priority.
Solar Orientation
In any new project like your home or a building, the most fundamental thing that will stay with the project is how the building is sited. Green design, especially passive design, starts with orientation. You CANNOT run away from the sun. Thus, it is imperative to get the most favorable orientation for your site if it's possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
Solar powered homes.?
Hello,
I am looking to build a new home. I would like the home to run on solar power. Does anyone know any companies that maufactur these homes? I am looking for a "modular" kit which is already done and then just placed on the property. I know I can buy the solar system seperatly, but is there any company that can do this all in one shot?-
ANSWER:
my brother in law built a solar house in 1987, then moved to Alaska and built one 4 years ago but has since retired from building.you might try these sites.
www.lipower.org/cei/solar.contractors.html
http://www.solargenerations.com/downloads/PVContractors.pdf
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QUESTION:
If the electric car works, solar powered homes, wind power, etc. then why when politicians talk about energy.?
it usually has to do with offshore drilling or the oil in the middle east...why isn't this technology being developed more?-
ANSWER:
Oil companies have politicians in their MySpace. They're friends with benefits. Lots and lots of benefits.
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QUESTION:
how many people in the US have solar powered homes?-
ANSWER:
Often called off grid homes too this is becoming very popular for many reasons. Quite a money saver obviously, and also a great way to help the environment by using renewable energy, but there is a new 'movement' so to speak, where people are returning to simpler living and smaller homes and living self sufficiently so they do not have a need to depend on society for survival. I am a fairly new member on a yahoo group called simple solar homesteading and just the month or two that I have been a member, let me tell you, these people make a whole lot of sense and the information that I have learned is priceless. If this is an interest of yours, I highly recommend that you join this yahoo group but they do get a whole lot of e-mails so you should set your membership to daily digest so you are not overwhelmed by the amount of e-mails.
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