 ollow along with us as we review some oldie but goodie questions about green building.
• Q: Where we live, we don’t have many sunny days, but it gets very cold in winter. Will solar design work here?
• A: Passive solar design works to some degree in just about all climates. On cloudy days, you won't have as much solar radiation to heat your home, but you will have some and a well-designed solar home will stay more comfortable and use less energy than a traditional home—even on cloudy days. The extra windows also brighten your home with natural day lighting, which is always welcome in cloudy climates. In cold climates, you'll really appreciate the benefit of super insulation and less infiltration.
• Q: During the winter when your home is closed up, inside air can become unhealthy because of outgassing from synthetic materials in, among other things, furniture, carpet and paint. Fumes from cleaning supplies and other chemicals can also be a problem. How do you address indoor air quality in a tight home?
• A: Let me first tell you what happens in a leaky home. A leaky home is at the whim of the weather. On windy days fresh air leaks in at a higher rate and on calm days less so. Indoor air quality varies with the weather which is not in your control.
We recommend that our customers take charge of their air quality and not leave it to the ever changing weather. In a tight home it's important to keep a supply of fresh air coming into your home. In more temperate climates you can do this by simply cracking open a couple windows during the daytime in the winter to create a gentle air flow. In colder climates you might want to invest in an air-to-air heat exchanger. These devices condition fresh outside air by warming it as it comes in with heated inside air that is being exhausted. These units are pricey but do the job when cracking a window isn't an option.
• Q: Our problem is summer heat, not winter cold. How can a Sunlight home be useful in our climate?
• A: Well insulated, tight homes do a better job buffering outdoor temperatures from indoor temperatures—summer and winter. The added mass in a solar home naturally absorbs heat, which keeps it away from you too. Correctly sized overhangs, correct orientation of the home on the lot and carefully placed outdoor plantings can also help keep a home cooler in summer.
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