Solar Kent

In the simplest sense, a conservatory or greenhouse.

Unfortunately it is impractical to consider using solar thermal panels for space heating. The same level of space heating can be gained by making the same area of the house that would be covered in solar panels, a window. This will let in both the light and the warmth of the sun in the form of infra red.

The heat is hopefully retained in the house. The best example of this is the use of a greenhouse which even on the coldest of winter days will trap considerable heat.

The ideal way of utilising passive solar heating is by installing a conservatory to the southern side of the house and ensuring that there is:

• a way to draw the warmed air into the house.
• sufficient available insulation to close the conservatory during the night when it is not needed for heating .
• suitable covering or ventilation to stop overheating during the summer.

The one main drawback in terms of installing a conservatory is the likely difficulty of getting planning permission even when presented as an environmentally friendly passive solar heating facility.

• Database of UK passive Solar buildings DTI / ETSU
• Thermal Analysis and Design of Passive Solar Buildings
• Passive Solar housing in Milton keynes
• Passive Solar Design from Surrey University
• Saveenergy.co.uk - renewable energy
• Useful ideas in a website detailing the construction of an energy efficient house
• Plan carefully to ensure passive solar gain to the rooms that most need it. Advice from 'good residential design guide, an Australian site.
• Passive Solar Architecture - Heating. Arizone Solar Centre website
• Sound Home Resource Centre, Passive Solar Heating. Seattle website with long term experience of Solar Heating
• Sustainable design, passive solar, high thermal mass, earthhome consultation for the homeowner-builder

The original part of my house is from the 1780s which has now been built onto on the south side. The original house is now referred to as 'the dark side' both for its coldness, and darkness. The newer part of the house is significantly warmer. This newer part has a slate 'cat slide' roof, the roof is superinsulated so allows little or no heat either in or out so provides no passive solar gain.

renewable energy, solar heating, wind turbine, solar panels, sustainability, eco,