Millions
of homes are built every year with large windows facing each and every
direction. Yet up to 60% heating, cooling, and lighting
energy use can be saved by one simple, costless
measure: in ordinary construction, face the WINDOWS SOUTH! Not East or West *in the northern hemisphere, all other factors inc. insulation held constant. Think about it, and observe: -
In
summer, when the sun actually rises in the northeast and sets in the
northwest, glaring high overhead midday, excess heat comes in west and
east facing windows. -
Each summer day, the heat generated by one 6 ft by 6 ft window facing east or west is equivalent to burning one gallon of oil in the building! -
In
winter, when the sun appears low in the southern sky, rising in the
southeast and setting in the southwest, west and east facing windows
get only a few hours of sunlight while losing far more heat than
they gain. For detailed information, the book More Other Homes and Garbage by Stanford professors Gil Masters, et al., is available through your library or bookstore. WINDOWS SOUTH, BUT DON'T OVERSIZE ! NO, THE WINDOWS DON'T HAVE TO BE HUGE! Oversized windows are not necessary and may be undesirable. Excessively large, uncovered windows lose great amounts of heat at night and may allow excess heat to enter in the summer. Early
passive solar buildings featured huge expanses of glass, which
overheated the buildings in the daytime, and lost uncomfortable amounts
of heat after dark. For achieving an ideal balance, contact the Passive
Solar Industries Council. WINDOWS SOUTH, AND INSULATE! Don't
let a builder convince you that less insulation is needed in a solar
house! During winter the sun is not shining during the majority
of the hours. Insulation keeps unwanted heat out in the summer.
What they said wasn't cost-effective 5 years ago is a different
story today. And are the savings in initial building materials
worth the price of a war for oil, or polluted air?
An overhang,
properly sized, shades south-facing windows from the high summer
sun, yet allows the sun's warmth to enter from its' low
position during the cold months. 36% of the nation's energy is used for building energy needs.
If architects, engineers, and builders were to apply this one simple,
costless principle, not only would huge amounts of energy be saved at
peak-load hours, but building occupants would be much more comfortable.
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