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|  Some say that the ultimate in sustainable construction is not new construction at all, but renovation of an existing structure. Renovation is the ultimate in recycling. I have been slowly renovating a 1968 home to meet or exceed the standards of new home construction. It has been challenging since the start in 2008.
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Passive Solar Design Concepts: A Brief History and Case Study |
 Passive Solar Design Strategy is nothing new. Cliff dwellers of the southwestern United States oriented their homes towards the south to maximize solar gain.
Viking ships used crude solar reflectors to burn the sails of enemy ships, and in 700AD, Persians used solar power in the sailing of ships as well as incorporating solar strategy into their building designs.
Passive Solar Design Strategies have long been used for drying bricks for buildings, a technique still used in many parts of the world.
While true Passive Solar Strategies are age old and time tested, basic principals must be correctly understood and applied. For instance, in the late 70’s and early 80’s, many builders and designers wanted to take advantage of the growing number of home buyers trying to harness the sun’s free energy.
Tax incentives under President Jimmy Carter along with high oil prices spurred a Passive Solar Design resurgence in the US. Many builders, however, did not understand true Passive Solar Design concepts. Many homes overheated in the summer and experienced major heat loss during the winter.
The buildings that were built correctly, however, provided comfortable living and work space year round while saving on energy costs as promised, thus proving the sustainability of these strategies.
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