Passive Solar Home Design Passive solar design takes advantage of a building’s site, climate, and materials to minimize energy use. A well-designed passive solar home first reduces heating and cooling loads through energy-efficiency strategies and then meets those reduced loads in whole or part with solar energy. Because of the small heating loads of modern homes it is very important to avoid oversizing south-facing glass and ensure that south-facing glass is properly shaded to prevent overheating and increased cooling loads in the spring and fall. Energy Efficiency First Before you add solar features to your new home design or existing house, remember that energy efficiency is the most cost-effective strategy for reducing heating and cooling bills. Site Selection If you’re planning a new passive solar home, a portion of the south side of your house must have an unobstructed “view” of the sun. How a Passive Solar Home Design Works Properly oriented windows. Refining the Design Direct Gain Indirect Gain (Trombe Wall)
Kids Guide To Solar Power At Home | House Plans and More “Energy efficiency” is the term used to refer to the good use of electricity. Appliances, computers and even cars use electricity. The demand for electricity and the difficulty in creating electricity make it imperative that everyone use it wisely. With so many people using energy all day, every day, the government and even individuals are looking for new energy sources. Solar Power Information Solar Basics: This site, provided for by the U.S. Solar Power in the Home Kids Saving Energy: The US Department of Energy provides a fun page for kids about using energy wisely in the home, games and renewable energy information Energy Star Kids: A great website for kids about saving energy in the home. Solar Activities Energy Quest: On this page the State of California has created games about solar power. Save this article to: back to top
Welcome to the Home of the Future Solar House | Solar Energy Systems This is a home in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The house includes a fully integrated solar roof that is interconnected with the local utility grid. The solar electric system is provided by a Canadian company, ARISE Technologies. This system uses an inverter which regulates the energy produced by the solar PV panels on the roof making the system completely compatible with the home's local utility provider. This solar home, replete with solar panels, harvests energy from the sun to generate electricity and heat. The home is also equipped with a solar thermal array that provides all of the pool heating and a good part of the domestic hot water. As well, part of the home's space heating requirements is covered by solar thermal heating. In addition to all these features, the home is constructed using passive solar design principles. Special thanks to ARISE for the use of this photo and adapted material.
About the Home Energy Score | Better Buildings Initiative Imagine you are in the market to buy a car and comparing your options. You are weighing a number of factors in your purchasing decision, including performance, cost, size, and appearance. When you ask the salesperson what the miles-per-gallon rating for each car is, they shrug and say, “I don’t know.” Even if fuel efficiency is not the only factor you are considering, this would probably concern you as a prospective buyer. And yet, this is how most people make decisions when buying or renting a home: without any information about how much energy the home is expected to use, how much this will cost them, or how to cost-effectively lower energy expenses. Developed by DOE and its national laboratories, the Home Energy Score provides home owners, buyers, and renters directly comparable and credible information about a home's energy use. The Home Energy Score Report estimates home energy use, associated costs, and provides energy solutions to cost-effectively improve the home's efficiency.
Top 10 Renewable Energy Sources There are many sources of energy that are renewable and considered to be environmentally friendly and harness natural processes. These sources of energy provide an alternate ‘cleaner’ source of energy, helping to negate the effects of certain forms of pollution. All of these power generation techniques can be described as renewable since they are not depleting any resource to create the energy. While there are many large-scale renewable energy projects and production, renewable technologies are also suited to small off-grid applications, sometimes in rural and remote areas, where energy is often crucial in human development. Tidal energy can be generated in two ways, tidal stream generators or by barrage generation. Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful work — for example for electricity generation, water desalination, or the pumping of water (into reservoirs). Listverse Staff Listverse is a place for explorers.
What is an EPC rating? Residential EPCs explained - Evergreen Energy Sustainable Home What is an EPC rating? Residential EPCs explained In the UK, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are an essential part of buying, selling and renting homes. But what is an EPC rating? What is an EPC rating? In short, an EPC rating is a review of a property’s energy efficiency. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, EPCs are carried out by EPC assessors or ‘Domestic Energy Assessors’ (in Scotland, they must be government-approved organisations). Your house’s EPC rating will depend on: The amount of energy used per m²The level of carbon dioxide emissions (given in tonnes per year) Once issued, the EPC will be valid for 10 years – if your EPC is older than this, you’ll need to get a new EPC issued before you can sell or rent your house. Anyone can access a house’s EPC online for free via the EPC register, so they come in handy when comparing potential future homes on paper. But there’s a bit more to it than that. The importance of a high EPC rating Estimated energy costs
Renewable Energy and Electricity | Sustainable Energy | Renewable Energy - World Nuclear Association (Updated 24 August 2017) There is widespread popular support for using renewable energy, particularly solar and wind energy, which provide electricity without giving rise to any carbon dioxide emissions. Harnessing these for electricity depends on the cost and efficiency of the technology, which is constantly improving, thus reducing costs per peak kilowatt, and per kWh. Utilising electricity from solar and wind in a grid becomes problematical at high levels for complex but now well-demonstrated reasons. Supply does not correspond with demand. Back-up generating capacity is required due to the intermittent nature of solar and wind, but at high levels the economics of this are compromised. Technology to utilise the forces of nature for doing work to supply human needs is as old as the first sailing ship. Today we are well advanced in meeting that challenge, while also testing the practical limits of doing so. Another relevant metric is energy return on energy invested (EROI). Wind energy
-Efficient Home Design Before you design a new home or remodel an existing one, consider investing in energy efficiency. You'll save energy and money, and your home will be more comfortable and durable. The planning process is also a good time to look into a renewable energy system that can provide electricity, water heating, or space heating and cooling. In an existing house, the first step is to conduct a home energy assessment (sometimes referred to as an energy audit) to find out how your home uses energy and determine the best ways to cut energy use and costs. Whole-House Systems Approach If you plan to design and build a new home or do an extensive remodel on an existing house, optimizing home energy efficiency requires a whole-house systems approach to ensure that you and your team of building professionals consider all the variables, details, and interactions that affect energy use in your home. Ultra-Efficient Homes Advanced House Framing Cool Roofs Passive Solar Home Design Straw Bale Home Design
Renewable Energy Sources - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding Energy - Energy Information Administration Federal, state, and local governments and electric utilities encourage investing in and using renewable energy and, in some cases, require it. Many programs and incentives are currently available. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency® (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information on government and utility requirements and incentives for renewable energy. Government financial incentives Several federal government tax credits, grants, and loan programs are available for qualifying renewable energy technologies and projects. A wind farm in Iowa Renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and state mandates or goals A renewable portfolio standard (RPS) typically requires that a percentage of electric power sales in a state comes from renewable energy sources. Renewable Energy Certificates or Credits (RECs)RECs, also known as green certificates, green tags, or tradable renewable certificates, are financial products that are available for sale, purchase, or trade.
15 Tips for Designing Energy Efficient Buildings | ArchiStar Academy The world is more environmentally-conscious than ever before. As people learn more about climate change, the demand for sustainable solutions increases. This affects every industry, and building design is one of the most prominent. Creating energy-efficient solutions is now key to selling architectural services. Clients want energy efficiency for two reasons: Going green improves public perception of a brand. The desire to go green has led to changes in architecture and engineering. So, how do you demonstrate that you prioritise energy efficiency? Tip #1 – Account for the Location Property developers always tell you that location matters. This extends to your design choices. Where you build has importance too. Tip #2 – Be Cautious of Undeveloped Land This is a particularly important tip if you’re selling architectural services to property developers. Instead, consider building on previously-developed land. Tip #3 – Design for Passive Solar Tip #4 – Consider Insulation Conclusion