Solar Houses
Active or Passive?
Solar houses, with all green energy solutions, being more efficient is the key.
By converting a part of your actual home to solar or by building a new one, both have a significant positive environmental impact.
If you’re considering going solar for your house, there are two main categories to look for: active and passive.
You'll be happy to know that solar passive houses are more common than we think.
Yes, if your house gets warm on sunny days during the cold season, you are already living in a solar passive house.
Passive solar house plans are designed with the sun's angles in mind, with materials that collects energy and with space heating concepts.
These houses are vary efficient without even using any active solar components.
A solar active house on the other hand is one that uses equipment like panels, inverters, and batteries to heat and light it.
There are 3 types of solar active houses.
First we have the grid-tied house where solar energy is used only in daylight. This type is still connected to an electricity supplier.
Second we have grid-tied with batteries. Here, solar energy is not only used during daylight, but it's also stored in batteries for later use. Like the first type, it is still connected to an electricity supplier.
Finally, third type is an off-grid with batteries. With this one, you are electrically independent and living on pure solar energy.
Often, an off-grid system is combined with other alternative energy solutions such as wind power.
This is commonly seen in regions where cloudy skies and shorter daylight are a often a reality.
Hot water is also part of an active solar house design.
Being the most energy consuming utility in your home or cottage, it's also the easiest and cheapest to convert to when retrofitting your existing house with solar.
When I talk to people about solar energy houses, some tell me that they don't like the look of solar panels on rooftops.
Of course, there are different types of panels and different ways to incorporate them in their design.
Solar shingles and Peel-and-stick thin-film modules can easily blend in. Regular panels can be installed on garage roofs or be free standing in most backyards.
 Since we’re talking about solar homes, let's talk a bit about solar landscaping. Yes, there are solar lights, solar fountains and solar birdbaths but here, I'm talking about natural and efficient landscaping designs.
Just a few well-positioned shading trees can keep your house cool in summer and wind breaking ones can keep it warm during the cold winter months.
On top of that, these same trees clean the air around us.
Talk about being environmentally friendly!
These are great and simple energy efficient ideas for landscaping.
Good planning and combining solar active, passive and landscaping, makes for a most solar efficient house.
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