SOLAR ARCHITECTURE
The Age of Power Independence
Building a home solar powered home requires solar architecture. Solar architecture can be defined as designing a home with solar energy as a highlighted feature of the home.
Lets start with some basics:
- Design a roof plan that will allow for a square or rectangular solar panel layout. This provides for a clean layout.
- Consult with your solar energy company to confirm system size and footprint.
- The solar panels should be on a South or West roof and preferably on the rear or side of the home.
- This is also the time to determine if solar pool heating and solar hot water heating will be part of the solar architecture solution.
- Integrate the solar collectors into the roofing system by installing a composition roof in the footprint area of all solar panels and then install your tile roof or other roofing materials around the solar collectors, framing them in for a clean, recessed look.
- Select your solar panels so that they are black framed and black backing so there is a black solar system with no white mixed in.
Orientation of the home, windows, overhangs, and mass, should all be taken into consideration for passive solar gain.
What do we mean by this?
- Allow the sun’s energy to passively enter the home for heating during the cooler months.
- Create an overhang over windows to block the sun’s energy from entering in during the summer months
- Have concrete, stone, or other mass in the home that can receive this energy and hold it naturally.
- Of course, ventilation and air flow are critical to the overall health of the solar architecture.
The state of California requires all homes to be Title 24 compliant and solar electricity is mandated in this process. Having a solar energy company in your hip pocket is key to a successful new home construction project. Suntrek Industries, Inc has been working with Architects and Home Builders for over 3 decades.
