Related Advice
Related Guide
Latest posts
Responses (1)
- Discussions
- Exteriors - Eco-Friendly Alternatives
- Greenhouses and Sunrooms / Solariums
- Earthship
- Passive solar
- Greenhouse
- Growing food
Related products


Elite windows Hybrid PVC and aluminum frames
Learn moreHybrid PVC and aluminum windows


NZP Passive House Certified windows
Learn moreEUROPassive windows


Roll-on thermal glazing nano-coating
Learn moreSketchNanoGard Thermal


Sealed glazing units incorporating suspended films for high performance windows…
Learn moreSuspended film insulating glass sealed units for high performance windows
Professional services
Related Advice
We want to build a solarium in Ontario, what do you think of heating it with a radiant floor and wood stove?
Posted by Deanna Zavattin-Tortolo
Feb. 18, 2020, 10:51 p.m.
Greenhouses and Sunrooms / Solariums
1 Responses
If you saw our articles on how to build a greenhouse in cold climate you may know our thoughts already on why you shouldn't attach a greenhouse to a home in a cold climate, which is not a great idea for energy efficiency and durability since they can add a significant amount of moisture to a home.
We much prefer to see a greenhouse separated from a house, and to instead take advantage of the southern exposure for passive indoor heating. And to be honest, there is pretty much nothing about the Earthship that makes sense for building in cold climates, certainly not the greenhouse portion. You can read an in-depth analysis of the Earthship and learn why they don’t work well here –
Do Earthships work in cold climates?
I would suggest you focus your attention on passive heating, adding the right amount of insulation in the right places, and healthy indoor air quality. We have a free video series in our building guide that covers the construction of a super efficient demonstration house from start to finish, here is the first video in the series that talks about the basic design and home orientation for solar heat gain. I hope that helps with your design project!