passive-solar-windows / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Homes heated by the sun's free heat! Passive Solar Houses are aptly named because there are no wires, panels or batteries and nothing to break down. It's just about design, and it isn't a new concept. Humans around the globe have been incorporating passive solar design features into their homes for thousands of years. ...

What is passive solar heating and cooling? Passive heating and cooling of homes is not new. The above image is of Mesa Verde National Park, the Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in Colorado, occupied from 700 to 1300 AD. This early North American settlement was shaded from the summer sun, but fully exposed to the sun ...

WATCH MORE VIDEOs about passive solar home design and construction here This is the first in a series of videos on passive solar home construction, we begin with passive solar design basics, orienting the future house on the site to take full advantage of the free heat available from the sun while keeping it cool with...

The most resilient house in North America The first house designed under our Passive Solar Index (PSI) program won "Most Resilient House" in the 2013 Green Builder® Home of the Year Awards. The Kenogami House is a living laboratory of high performance design and technology, called "The Most Resilient House in North Ame...

Passive House design, how does it work? If you've ever sat in a car with black leather seats in the summer, particularly when wearing shorts, you already understand passive solar heat gain. It is a very simple concept that as a building technique dates back thousands of years. You simply need to find out where south is...

When considering solar cells as thin as laminate and completely transparent, the possibilities seem endless. Imagine every glass or laminant surface in our built environment and all of our devices, large and small, harvesting solar energy. In a world of passive, self-sustaining mini-power stations, would the need for f...

Generate power with PV coatings on windows The transition toward net-zero building has traditionally focused on rooftops, but energy-generating glass coatings are now turning the building envelope itself into a power plant. By integrating transparent photovoltaic (TPV) technology directly into windows and facades, home...

The importance of installing doors and windows correctly: Window and door openings are breaches in a building envelope that need to be carefully managed in order to prevent moisture damage and air leakage in homes as well as to save energy. Water leaks from around windows and doors are the visible result of a poor inst...

Homes designed for passive heating and cooling offer noticeably lower utility bills, not to mention increased comfort and security during power outages. In our humble opinion, the first thought for any home being designed or built, should be - which way is south and how do I use that knowledge to passively reduce the f...

How to install windows correctly to avoid air or water leaks  The Edelweiss LEED Platinum V4 Demo House has been oriented towards the south to increase passive heat gain and reduce energy demand during operation. Choosing higher quality windows on all sides of your home will mean reduced heat loss over a poorer qualit...

Performance: Passive Solar Index 15 Registration date: February 12, 2015 Region: Saguenay, Quebec Type of construction: Single-family New home PSI rating: 15 kWh / m² Method of calculation: Modelled Built by owner Alain Hamel, the Kenogami House is located at Lac Kenogami, Saguenay, Quebec, and is a winner of the Green...