Everyday Architecture: For the rest of us

When I was in architecture school back in the early 2000's, I found myself falling into the trap of 'glory design' or 'reinventing the wheel.'  While working on my thesis, I discovered that I was missing a crucial piece of the picture, which is that most of the built-world is devoid of 'good' design.  Luckily, I found a book called Architecture of the Everyday, written by Steven Harris and Deborah Berke.  

This book opened my eyes to a less glamor-oriented type of design, but more importantly, a typology of design for the common dweller. In Everyday Architecture, design revolves around function, form, and beauty, but with less emphasis on stylization and more on regional or local tradition (vernacular). The concern on is less on newness and more through the recycling of the old as well as a reduced budget rather than a maximum budget.  Simplicity is a solution set over technological overpowering of issues like heating, ventilation, and aesthetics.

There are many reasons why architecture has been hijacked by glossy, over-stylized, expensive design practices which are not even environmentally sound.  The profession in itself tends towards elitism due to an all-consuming focus towards 'white collar' professionalism, first starting during education, then continuing into internship and professional careers.  Architecture has become a very expensive career. Most that follow its conveyor belt to 'stardom'  not only need to make it pay off their education, but also have aspirations toward higher monetary rewards.

One of my neighbors exercises their creativity.

So how do we return creative, thoughtful, efficient, and affordable design to the average dweller? To start, it is important to not want what others have and instead, concentrate on what our own desires and goals are for our habitation. This sounds rather simplistic, but is very difficult for many to do in a time period where everywhere we look there is a push towards someone else's vision of what is important, cool, or beautiful. Let's take back our own vision and begin to create a uniqueness specific to ourselves, our family, and our needs.

Simplification of the home's necessities is one of the best ways to allow other creativity to come through. The home need not consume every dollar of the paycheck. Many of the greatest design ideas can come from our own ingenuity if we allow time to expand on our ideas, then do the appropriate research into such ideas. As Martin Heidegger put it, 'to dwell is to actually create or take part of the making of our homes.'  It is sad to say, but the average homeowner is restricted in this day and age to their yard. Most 'home improvement' consists of mowing the lawn, killing weeds, or maybe growing a garden. It was not that long ago that most home owners actually built their home with the help of an experienced carpenter. Unfortunately, the modern housing industry has become a maze of technical and codified complexities, which cause most homeowners to feel unqualified to actually make or 'dwell' in their own home.  

Many systems like heating, cooling, and ventilation have been hijacked by technological complexity.  How many times I have asked a client what kind of heating system they have and where it is located and "they don't know".  This is an example of the ridiculousness of this time period. We must return to 'knowing,' which will empower us to take back our homes. I have shown on my site much about organizing the home plan to maximize solar gain, to minimize overheating, and to promote cooling. These are rather simple systems that we can all understand and use to drive and support our homes' energy needs. What I am getting at is "Knowledge is Power'" once we strive to understand a system, then we can make it out own. Modern home design,however, often involves electronic gadgetry to make up for our own lack of understanding (and laziness).  

I am not going to suggest that every aspect of home construction is DIY, but some are.  Builders are often the worst in staying stuck in a building method or typology. It takes time to learn building systems and it takes know-how to actually build. With that, many builders stay with what they know and have built/contracted before. It is easy for a contractor to continue to use the same building systems because they know how to bid the project and how to specify which materials and subcontractors. This can keep them stuck in certain building typologies. It takes a certain type of builder, as with the client, who actually wants to learn new systems of heating and building. An open-minded client will find more potential with an open-minded builder. In other words, its is important for a client to look for designers and builders not for their websites' pretty pictures, but the content and hopefully some good looking design. Also, understand that not all builders are receptive to DIY or sweat equity.  

A client's ability to help with the construction of their home is a difficult one to assess.  Certainly the more a client knows about the design and construction method of their home, the better.  However, building is a skill and it takes time to learn and practice, as well as physical fitness. Mistakes will be made along the way for anyone new to building, which can be costly and dangerous. The last thing a builder wants is for their client to fall off a ladder or run their hand through a saw-blade. Along this line, a contractor's insurance often will not want to know that a client is working on site. However This is real dwelling. 

Home Remodels: Prepare for Rising Energy Costs

A complete gut job will result in a more beautiful and efficient home...Eventually!

If you're considering embarking on a home remodel, think "energy savings" as a strategy. Energy efficiency perhaps isn't the most interesting aspect of a home remodel, but it is a crucial issue.   

Let me make an analogy to a car: Many car owners want to do the fun maintenance to their car, like installing a new set of shiny tire rims or a new stereo system. But most often, their money would be better spent on having their timing belt changed and a new water pump put in.  These seemingly mundane maintenances are what keep your car on the road; without their proper function, you have no transportation.

When maintaining your home, think "function first, aesthetics second." That is certainly not to say that some interesting architectural changes can't happen in the remodel; some functional changes are connected with aesthetics and energy efficiency. Real-estate appraisal is gradually moving towards valuing homes in energy efficiency. This sort of home-valuing is a bit behind the times, but is slowly moving towards estimating a home's worth not just by square-footage and number of bathrooms.

Most all scholars and analysts agree that we are now past Peak Oil and that fuel prices will exponentially rise. As we continue to turn past the apex of Peak Oil and start running into the next phases of oil depletion, many of the energy sources that we rely on now, like electricity and natural gas, will become more expensive. The current system of harvesting and refinement of energy sources relies on cheap oil.  Everything from the manufacturing of new oil wells and electrical plants, the transportation of energy, and the installation of a heating system into the home all rely on oil. This point made, lets look at your home. How we can tighten down on home fuel consumption and save you money?

Seal up cracks in barnboard

When remodeling with a focus on energy-efficiency, first look for leaks. Air infiltration is one of the primary areas of concern when trying to achieve tighter efficiency in the home.  Windows, doors, venting, and crawl spaces, are the easier areas that should be targeted. A cold, windy day is a good time to look for air leaks. Simply put your hand up to doors and windows- if you feel a draft, you have found a problem.  

When looking for replacements to your old doors, choose quality, modern exterior doors that come with triple locks (locks on the top, middle, and bottom of door). These locks make a huge improvement on getting the door gaskets to seal completely. Old wooden doors are tall and not very thick; it is common that this type of door will bow end to end along the locking side. The only way to take the bow out of the door is to pull on top, middle, and bottom, allowing the door to fully seat against the gaskets. If you have an old, architecturally elegant door that you just can't part with, installing a storm door over the old door will help create an air space and should reduce air infiltration. 

A modern, double-hung window installed to meet historic district regulation may be expensive, but will be a huge energy improvement in the long run.

New thermal pane 6x6-
a custom-built historic model

Replacing old windows or installing them in new locations can result in both energy and aesthetic improvement. Properly positioned windows allow natural light into the home and can help ventilate the home without the use of electric fans or air conditioning, saving you money. Windows also can allow for solar gain to occur- a source of free heat. Replacing old windows can result in huge energy savings. Old, single pane windows have very little insulative value, whereas modern glazings create resistance to air temperature change by having an airspace between panes and light filters. Most old windows have no insulation around their perimeters, allowing for air leakage.  Modern windows typically have better seals and gaskets, are foamed into their hole, and are installed to be water-tight. 

Framing in new windows

Replacing windows can offer a perfect time to rearrange how your home looks. You do not need plug the same window holes with the same window types. A fresh new look can be achieved with new strategies as to passive solar gain, ventilation and window typology (casement, awning, double hung, sliding).  A rearranged window remodel plan can result in new views to the outside.   

Adding insulation to your home is another way to improve energy-efficiency. In old homes, installing insulation can be tricky; each old home has its own set of battles in retrofitting new insulation. Roofs must be insulated properly as heat rises and will exit here, however, old homes typically have little to no roof insulation. Before the development of modern insulation, old buildings were designed to have an uninsulated attic that created an airspace between lower living spaces and the outside cold. The attic was not meant as a living space- it was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. Historically, the attic was used as storage space, however, many attics today used as bedrooms. 

Retrofit  insulated attic

In many old attics, there is often not enough head room for lowering ceilings and add the appropriate thickness of fiberglass batten insulation and required vent space. Vent space is critical because it prevents damaging condensation from occurring, which can destroy interior materials. In Bozeman, Montana, the modern energy codes require vaulted ceilings to meet R-38 and flat or truss ceilings to meet R-50. For these reasons, uninsulated attics are usually retrofitted with modern rigid insulation or sprayed foam, the latter of which has better performance, but is more costly. (Read a past blog entry about insulation here.)

Old roof off

New third floor and properly insulated roof

Bye-bye dark, cold attic

Old attic became a new 3rd floor

In some cases, it is better to completely remove the existing, uninsulated roof and reconfigure it to create a usable space. By remodeling the attic into an additional floor, you can achieve interesting, high-up views as well as appropriate insulation and venting.  I remodeled a home on Walnut Street in Portland, Maine (see write up here) where the existing attic and roof were completely removed. A new shed roof and floor system were built, creating a beautiful and spacious third floor. What had been a dismal, cold attic with no views became a penthouse with decks on each end and amazing views of Back Bay.

Insulating walls is another important home energy improvement. There are many ways of insulating walls, which are usually determined by the home's existing wall type, such as 2"x4" or 2"x6". When assessing a home's remodeling and insulation needs, I ask the questions like, "Is your exterior siding in need of replacement?" "Do you want new interior wall surfaces (drywall, plaster) because the old walls are rotted out or falling down?" There are different strategies depending on your home's condition. Assuming that the exterior walls are already insulated, one strategy to increase your wall insulation performance is to add furring strips and rigid foam to the interior walls. This works well with 70's style homes that were framed with 2x4's and insulated with R-13 fiberglass batten insulation.  

'K' braces ... blown in cellulose nightmare

Very old homes have no insulation inside the wall cavities or have blown-in cellulose insulation. Blown-in cellulose was typically installed by drilling 2" holes into the exterior siding, then pumping the feathery, down-like material into holes at the top of each stud bay. Usually one can find evidence of this if there are bunged holes in the siding. Filling an old wall with cellulose only gives a R-value of about 13, which is not sufficient insulation. As condensation forms inside the stud space, the cellulose becomes damp, decreasing its insulatative value.  Also note the image here, 'K' braces in the corners... blown in cellulose will not fill these voids.  Only from the inside can one get to these places to insulate properly.

An old home's insulation level can usually be estimated by the plaster and lathe condition, which was the interior wall surfacing before modern insulation and drywall. If the lath nails are rotted out (see this blog) and the interior plaster, usually  new windows, plumbing and electrical infrastructure are also needed. The interior plaster and lathe should be removed, then new studs should be furred out to meet the modern 2x6 wall. I remodeled a home on Gray Street in Portland, Maine where the walls are remodeled as such (read about that here). This is a expensive solution, but is really the best solution because all problems can be fixed at the same time. It makes no sense financially to remodel a home over and over again.  

Insulating crawl spaces and basements can offer energy savings. Most old buildings have uninsulated basements; the idea was that used heating system kept the underside of the floor system warm. Some argue and uninsulated basement spaces are acceptable because the earth's temperature at that depth is warmish and that open walls and flooring makes the plumbing more accessible. However, this thought process was from the days of cheap oil. The earth is a giant heat sink with endless mass. By not insulation your basement or crawlspace, your are essentially attempting heat not only your home, but also the earth. To promote energy savings in your home, the floor system above the basement and should be insulated. If hot water plumbing is hanging down into this space, it also should be insulated. 

Foamed-over brick foundation

Insulating the basement foundation with either rigid foam or blown foam is important to prevent external ground temperature from bleeding inwards.  Keeping this space as warm as possible makes sense, but not by heating it with expensive fuel; allow the insulation to store what heat there is. If your basement has old single pane windows, you can cover them during the winter months with rigid foam board and  caulk any obvious drafty cracks.  

The warmth and beauty of stained concrete radiant

In homes with a decent southern exposure, it is possible to add a radiant floor to increase mass of the building and to promote passive solar heating. This can promote huge savings in heating costs. It is important that a designer with experience in passive-solar design develop the system are floor plan and layout to the south, as well as associated windows on that exposure. It is possible in certain situations to add an external addition on the south side of the building that has a slab on grade with radiant tubing. In some homes, where ceilings are taller than 8 feet, it is possible to install a 1.5" slab with tubing over the existing sub-floor. This must be evaluated by a designer or builder to ensure that the floor system is sturdy enough and that it doesn't cause elevation problems in between rooms, door heights and swings, etc.

If you are considering remodeling your home or are interested in home energy improvements, please contact Greenovision with any questions you may have. We have a lot of experience in many different areas of home remodeling and we would love to help you out.  

Greenovision Awnings: Create a Welcoming Entryway with Natural Light

Fresnel prismatic effect  of polycarbonate Greenovision Awning

It is important that a home's entryways have roofs above the doorways, protecting the doors against weather. Snow, rain, sleet, hail and extensive UV radiation all have damaging effects on a home. Entryway roofs protect the threshold into the home from damaging moisture and creates a safe, snow and ice-free entry and exit. Most homes have 'hard roofs' over their entryways. By 'hard roof,' I am referring to a non-transparent, typical layered roof system, such as sub sheathing over rafters, flashing, tar-paper, then asphalt or metal roofing. These type roofing materials are expensive due to the labor of multiple applications of materials and in the end, create a dark and rather gloomy experience of entering into a home. Welcoming guests into the home is much more comfortable when the visitor and host can see one another well. Being able to see well breaks down feelings of uncertainty and makes for a more cheerful, less awkward welcoming.   

In order to create a more friendly and welcoming entry, it is beneficial to increase natural light levels. However, it is still important to break down UV light and to protect the threshold and doorway from the elements. I have found that by designing and building awnings made with polycarbonate panels (greenhouse glazing), I can create a well-lit entry with the benefits of protection from weather and sunlight. The type of polycarbonate I use has a UV filter; it protects and preserves finished wood, increasing the lifespan of doors and other exterior materials. 

 In snow country, polycarbonate roofs, if given a minimum slope of 3/12, will usually slick off snow as soon as it falls.  If snow does collect, it slides off the awning when the temperature is above freezing. Having a snow-free roof keeps the light transmittance up and the snow load down. Reduced snow loading allows the roof to be constructed with fewer rafters, giving a simple, modern, less-cluttered appearance.   

What if your entryway is too bright? Polycarbonate roof panels are an excellent sunlight filter. There are different filter ratios designed into polycarbonate, which can be used to reduce sunlight levels. Polycarbonate has some interesting qualities that can also be used to create various visual effects. The panels are made of square cells that when lit, give off prismatic effects that broadcast over its surfaces.  At night, lights can be aimed at the awning, causing the polycarbonate to look like a luminare. This effect makes a home's entryway stand out and come alive at night when guests are arriving.  
 
Polycarbonate panels are sold in four-foot widths and can be cut at any length. No mid-span rafters are needed if the panels are fastened around the perimeter correctly. I usually custom-build the frames with welded metal for longevity. The metal frame will last through multiple polycarbonate re-roofs, but the polycarbonate panels will need to be replaced, as does all roofing. Polycarbonate is given a typical 10 yr warranty, but in my experience, it lasts much longer. Most of the time, I use a 16 mm triple celled panel, which has very good strength to weight ratio. Polycarbonate is flexible, unlike glass, which enables it to take hits from falling objects like hail, branches, and ice falling from roofs above.  


Polycarbonate awnings can also be placed over large windows to protect them from Montana's fierce hail storms. In Spring 2010, Bozeman, Montana was hit by a hailstorm that shot golf-ball sized hail. Most all Bozeman homeowners needed to replace at least one broken window. A polycarbonate awning placed over a window prevents this hail damage. A polycarbonate awning is also helpful during Montana's hot summer. Although polycarbonate allows light to penetrate to the window, it breaks down heat and strong sunlight rays. This helps the home stay interior stay both cooler and naturally-lit.   

The shadow line is of a filtered light, not completely dark

The proper design of each polycarbonate awning is crucial. Every home has its own unique architectural style, color schemes, layout issues, and structural details. It is important that each awning be designed to take these variables into account so that the results are aesthetic, efficient, strong, and add to the entryway a sense of welcoming.

I really enjoy building these unique polycarbonate awnings and have built them in many different sizes, shapes, and colors. A Greenovision Awning can be a beautiful and functional improvement to your home. Please check out the awnings section of the Greenovision website for more examples of previously built awnings. 

A Small Home That Grows When You Do

The following images are Greenovision computer generated models

Why build a small home?  There are many reasons.  In my past blog, I discussed the construction cost reasons; see that blog here. Just keep in mind that the "American Dream" of owning a home should not indenture you for life to a bank.  

Plan to build small with the option growing as your needs and budget grows. Plan to save materials before the home is built. Plan on using quality recycled materials by designing them into the home and saving them before construction begins. Building an affordable, functional, and beautiful home is all dependent on design. 

The home I am designing for myself employs these principles. The "tiny home movement" is valid in that it teaches people to live simpler and in smaller spaces with less clutter, however, it does have its short comings.  I have friends that started with tiny homes (10' x 9') and it worked for a while, but guess what?  When it came time to have someone over there was no room to 'entertain' them.  These homes were just too small and were not designed to be added on to.  So, they had to start over and build something larger.  
 
 
This is where I am heading with my small home design- how to build small to get on a site affordably, but how to plan for addition of space as funds and more spaces are needed. The top rendering shows Volume 1 as the main volume, which is two stories.  The other volumes can be added on later. This does take some planing so that wiring and conduits won't have to be rerouted.  Also, with good planing and design, windows come out and an interior door goes into its hole making passage to the new addition.  Another area of concern is where the new roof meets the old wall. This can be built into the exterior wall with flashing and ledger so that when it is time to add on, no siding has to be removed.  Some siding looks rather nice as an interior wall, such as a vertical cedar board v-match or ship-lap. 

open interior space of living area

Loft bedroom and desk

I have come up with several key ingredients to a small home design.  One is, don't make it too small. Create a main space that gives ample room for a kitchen, a place to eat, and a place to entertain, meaning some nice seating with pleasant outdoor views. Such seating can as act as a place to sleep if a guest stays over if the couch is a 'fold out'.  Give room for stairs that meet modern codes ( 7.75 inches of rise to 10" of tread usually).  Have a loft above or a second story where you will sleep and can have a desk and closet space.  Having a second story saves on roofing, insulation, and foundation.

By making this main volume tall, the home is prepared for lower, smaller additions to be easily added on later. Such additions can be another bedroom on the first floor, a mudroom with increased storage, and laundry and counter top space for gardening projects or household tasks that you don't want to be doing on the kitchen counter.  Also, a main bathroom could be added to another side of the building at a later date or at the beginning.  Which volumes you choose to begin with all depends on your initial start-up budget.  Remember: building too small will make it harder down the road for adding on.  

Don't forget that with good design, built-in shelving and storage can use space that once seemed unusable (under the stairs, etc). Efficient storage space is important in a small home. Many small homes never a plan for enough storage. This simply doesn't work and the residents often end up storing their stuff outside in the weather, cluttering up their site. 

My home shown here starts out with a main volume that is 16' X 24'  with a second story, or 768 square ft. The additional spaces are a bedroom at 12' X 13'-6" (162 sq ft), a mudroom at 8' X 10' (80 sq ft), and a bathroom at 8'-6" x 11' (94.6 sq ft)  for a total of 337 sq ft more. All of the volumes together gives the plan a total 1105 sq ft. This is a very comfortable-sized home for a couple or small family.

The design of my home will change a bit when I find a specific building site.  This home is designed for passive solar gain; there is a concrete slab floor to the south.  Depending on the site, the concrete can either be slab on grade or a slab over a typical joisted floor system. I will configure some of the building to have a full basement for utility and washer/dryer if the site is conducive to this.  

  
Cheaper land often has ledges, which makes a basement expensive. In this case, there will have to be an additional volume built for utility and laundry.  Some of the foundation can be on piers, some can be crawlspace foundation, but those issues depend on the site.

I have posted this project under a new section on my website, www.Greenovision.com, that is dedicated to small homes. Check it out here. To see a similar small home that I designed and built in Maine, check out Liberty House.

The computer images and drawings shown on this blog were created by Mark Pelletier and are property of Greenovision, LLC. Beware of the copright monster!

Passive Solar Part II - Reduce your home heating costs

If you are looking to build a new energy-efficient home or would like to see your existing home benefit from some much-needed energy improvements, it is important to work with an architectural designer who is experienced in passive solar design. I have designed and built many homes and remodels that see great savings in heating costs due to simple, yet skillfully implemented, passive solar strategies. The photo to the left is the living room of Liberty House, a small (why small see this link), sustainable, energy-efficient home that I both designed and built. The photo illustrates passive solar concepts in a nutshell: sunlight pours through a large South-facing window array, landing on a dark concrete floor where the solar heat is stored.

Although, passive solar design is simple in methodology, a designer who is experienced in passive solar strategies will ensure that your home's solar potentials are utilized most effectively. The key principles of passive solar design are as follows:
1. Building site properties must be evaluated and exploited.
2. The home must be designed so that it captures the solar radiation.
3. The home has a floor plan that is fairly open in order to promote convective air cycles.
4. Building materials must increase in mass for heat storage. i.e. masonry, concrete, stone, thick tiles.
5. Mass is in correct location in regards to solar aspect.
6. Windows or apertures are at right heights and face due South.
7. Building overhangs to the south are deep enough to shield the sun from the interior during the summer months to prevent overheating.
8. An aggressive strategy of cross ventilation through windows is designed into the building.
9. Windows are glazed with the correct type of glass. This type will change depending on its aspect i.e. facing North, East, South, West.

Every building site has its potentials and weaknesses in regards to utilizing the sun's energy. Sites that are sunny and fairly free of tall coniferous trees, especially to the southern aspect, have great passive solar potential. During the Summer, deciduous trees on the south side of the home help screen the sun in the summer to reduce excessive solar gain. During the colder months, deciduous trees drop their leaves, allowing the lower angled suns rays into the home.

Hills and mountains can either be an attribute or a hindrance to passive solar energy gains. An ideal situation is one where there is a hill to the west or east, but definitely not a mountain to the south. As this diagram shows, the sun angle in North America changes in its trajectory and angle through out the year. In the summer, the sun rises more to the Northeast and sets more to the Northwest. During mid day, the sun is directly overhead. In the winter, the sun moves to the South. It is due East as it rises in the morning and due West as it sets. Also, the sun angle is lower in the sky at noon, which allows maximum sun penetration into the home. A hill to the West is not necessarily bad, because the focus is to harvest heat mid-day during the winter. A hill will help keep the lower angle afternoon suns rays from penetrating into the home and reduces overheating and solar glare. This is also true for coniferous trees to the West. The same situation applies to hills and trees to the East, although it is not quite as important. In the morning, the temperature in and out of the home is a bit lower, so more sunlight not only helps to wake the inhabitant, but also helps to heat the home.

When designing a passive solar home, the main goal is to maximize solar gain to the south. The floor plan or layout is very important in achieving this. Ideally, your main open space is on the south side of the building. Having the living room, dinning room, and kitchen as a combination open space not only gives a spacious feeling, but also creates an ideal situation for direct solar gain. In these spaces it is common and sensible to have hard floor surfaces for easy cleaning. More importantly, these hard surfaces become the heat mass that capture and store sunlight from the south. Usually, more open living spaces allow for enough solar gain to occur and with a good layout, furniture can be kept clear of these surfaces. Note: Darker floors will increase gain, lighter colors reflect the radiation, which is not desirable for solar gain.

Making direct radiant gain work is dependent on the flooring mass. It is important that window heights are close the floor, so that the sunlight falls directly on it, without being blocked by soft-scape obstructions like sofas and chairs. Tables are okay because the sun usually will filter around the table legs. It is important to avoid floor rugs in this area. A minimum of 1.5" of concrete slab thickness as the flooring works very well because it holds sufficient heat. The slab can also have radiant hydronic heating coils, or "Pex," laid into it. It can be applied over typical 3/4" plywood subfloor as long as the joists span meet the increased load rating. On some South-facing floors, it is possible to pour slab on grade if the elevation of the building works out correctly. This can be poured up to 8" thick, although this is considered almost wasting material. The slab must be insulated to the ground with hard insulation or the floor will wick cold in and heat out. Proper insulation below such radiant gain surfaces is a must. Again, heating hydronics in a slab makes sense because relying solely on the sun's energy can be difficult when the sun doesn't shine for extended periods of time. Through combining passive solar heating and hydronic slab heating, there is much to be gained. Hydronic coils bring heat back into the system, which flows throughout the floors of the home, helping to reduce the need to frequently run the boiler. If relying on mass alone, it must be thicker. I know folks who live in Northern climates that rely on an insulated 6" concrete slab with southern glazing and just a wood stove. They live very comfortably through the coldest months. The concrete slab stores solar heat so well, they often don't have to light their wood stove for days.

How the mass works to your advantage has to do with its ability to store the heat and then emit it throughout the night-time hours. If concrete is not a desired interior floor, it can have masonry tiles or stone laid over it. Even a typical plywood sub-floor with 1/2" of durarock then overlaid with tile is better than no mass at all. This is common in remodels of homes for achieving more radiant gain.

As said before, it is preferable to have the windows close to the mass floor as this gets the sun's radiation to land directly on the slab closest to the glazing. It is advantageous to use specially-designed glazing on the South side of the home. Double layer thermal pane glazing with a low emissivity coating are the norm for passive solar gain (L-e 173). Note: The higher the Low E number, the less solar heat gain you will get, but it will have better U-value, or insulative properties. Higher series such a 300 and up Low E is preferable on the aspects of the building where one wants to reduce heat gain, increase insulative properties, and reduce ultraviolet radiation destruction of furniture and soft materials.

Cross-ventilation in a passive solar home is very important. Height differences of walls across the room promote cooling and air convection. I found that by having awning windows low to the floor on the South-side and a high awning windows on the highest walls, helps to promote a air draft that encourages air flow and convective cycles. The advantages here are very important because in the summer it encourages passive cooling or evaporative cooling. This is free air conditioning. Air pressure differences due to hot and cold differences in the building allow heat to escape through the awning windows. Air inlets create an upflow that encourages evaporation of moisture on our skin and gives the sense of cooling. Rather than spend a bunch of money on air conditioning, spend the money operable windows and a home designer with experience in convective design. You will save you money in energy costs!

In a nut shell, a home does not need to employ expensive and energy-consuming mechanical systems in order to heat and cool. The heat gained from a passive solar strategy will reduce yearly heating costs. By hiring a skilled designer to properly configure glazing, ventilation strategies, window layouts, and appropriate flooring mass, it IS possible to achieve a net zero home heating system. At Greenovision, we are passionate about passive solar design and other energy-efficiency systems and have a lot of experience implementing these strategies into new and remodeled homes. Please come to Greenovision for see how how passive solar design can save you money. See reasons to get off the corporate energy grid on my blog Part 1 of Why Passive solar?.