Passive Solar
Eaves
If you go back 39 years most houses had proper eaves but now they are less common. As I travel around I sometimes see new houses with eaves on the front facade but non elsewhere, which I think looks weird….
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West, or East, Facing Windows
Well the first rule is to avoid West, or East, facing windows . . . or at least keep them as small as possible….and here is why: Summer West windows get direct sunlight from mid-afternoon to late in the evening…
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Shading Northern Windows
In a post about Passive Solar I talked about shading North facing windows. That doesn’t mean installing roller shutters, or blinds that pull down over the window. Shutters and blinds tend to make the rooms very gloomy and depressing, and…
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Winter Sun
If you are going to get as much winter sun inside your house you want to minimise shading. That could be from neighbour’s houses or even and boundary fences/hedges. Here is how to check………………….. Ideally you should be aiming for…
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Passive Solar – What Does It Mean?
Do you want a house that is filled with natural light in the summer without overheating, and minimises your heating bills in winter? ……….If you do, then a passive solar house is what you need. Here are some of the…
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Which Way Is North?
Don’t rely on a compass! Or a mobile phone either! There are different Norths True North Grid North Magnetic North The difference can be more than 10 degrees which can affect your view and the solar performance of your house…
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Solar Citizens
Do you want to be a Solar Citizen? Do you know who the Solar Citizens are? Well I only found out about them a couple of weeks ago. Basically they are a nationwide group of people that support a…
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Energy Through The Windows
Ever wondered how much actual benefit you get from the sun shining in? How The Sun’s Energy Warms Your Home. Basically when the suns energy (which includes both visible and invisible energy such as Infra Red and Ultra Violet [UV] radiation)…
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Energy From Sun.
Have you ever wondered why it gets so HOT in the roof space on a sunny day? Well there is a lot of Energy coming from the Sun . . . .approximately 1.37 kw /m2 shines on the Earth By the…
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Sustainability Modifications to a Standard Design
Lots of people say you can’t get a sustainable house from a standard builder . . . . but I disagree! As an example I have started with this standard floor plan from the ‘MYPAD’ design of HomeStart, Perth first home buyer…
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