Bonneville Environmental Foundation

SOLAR 4R SCHOOLS Solar 4R Schools 100 schools in 16 states

ACTIVITY GUIDES

Correlated to Washington, Oregon, Idaho and National Science Standards

DATA MONITORING

DATA VIEWS Data views can be added to any website, like your schools website or the website of a funding partner. Wood River High School - Idaho Pocatello Community Charter School - Idaho

SCIENCE KITS

Science Kits

Designing Solar Homes

Goals Solar Home Design Best Practices Solar Thermal Technology Use the principles to build model Solar homes

World Energy Consumption Forecast 54% increase in next 20 years (Energy Information Agency, 2008)

The Sun’s Energy can… Heat/Cool Buildings Heat Water Produce Electricity from light Cook Food Purify Water Grow Food "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait 'til oil and coal run out before we tackle that." -- Thomas Edison, 1931

Optimizing with Solar Design 1.Winter: Sun In: Orientation and Angle. 2.Summer: Keep Sun out: Use of Eaves, shade zones, and color. 3.Storage: Thermal Mass: Store warmth in the winter; store cool in summer; keeps temperature even 4.Weatherization: Keep warmth in in the winter and out in the summer. 5.Air Circulation: For Cooling and Warming

#1 Let the Sun in for warmth!

Direct Gain Glass: the magic solar heating technology

South Facing Windows

Clerestory Windows

#2. Keep the Sun Out to Stay Cool

#2: Strategic Use of Eaves: Use seasonal angles to your advantage “Designing with Nature”. Two foot eaves work well.

#2: Eaves Get the Job Done! Summer Sun Angle Winter Sun Angle

#3: Thermal Mass : (Conduction and Convection) Thermal Mass

Thermal Mass: Water Tubes

Trombe Wall: Blocks Glare, Thermal Storage, Heat Control

Trombe Wall with Windows

Trombe Wall: View from interior: Masonry heats up during the day and releases heat into room in the evening.

#4: Weatherization:

Insulation

Straw Bale: waste material (With more insulation building needs less energy for heating and cooling)

Straw Bale: 2 feet thick, Holds in heat in winter and keeps it out in Summer

Collector Type: Flat plate

Collector Type: Evacuated tube

Collector Type: Parabolic

Solar Thermal Collectors and PV Systems

Photovoltaic Systems Canon Beach, Oregon - Net Zero Home

Indigenous “Solar” Architecture Incorporates important green energy concepts including orientation, shading, thermal mass Utilizes local, usually on site building opportunities and materials

Anasazi Pithouse 500 CE, Green Energy and Materials: geothermal temperature control using constant temp of earth (dug in); insulation and thermal mass from the floor/wall/roof construction; good use of local materials with minimal consumption of wood.

Navaho: Hogan: Sacred Home Spiritual"The circular hogan with its east-facing door and its earthen floor is constructed to encourage harmony, just as the spiritual beings first instructed," Cambridge explained. [Note use of local materials, east-facing door brings in morning light/warmth, solar mass, ?insulation. Well sealed.

Hogan Interior (Source: Wikipedia)

Navajo (Dine) Hogan East Facing for morning solar gain Thermal mass and possibly insulation from the combination of earth, mud, clay, wood grasses Protection from infiltration of cold from North Use of Local Materials “Affordable”

The Colorado Solar Hogan Project has produced a prototype for a dwelling that is a traditional hogan attached to compatible, modern circular dwelling that demonstrates how Navajo culture can influence new forms of housing.. (

With its cribbed ceiling and east-facing door, Holloway's creation is undeniably hogan-like. Heat and electricity are produced by combining active and passive technologies. Outside, photo voltaic cells track the sun, and closed- system solar collectors heat water in a 120-gallon tank. Inside, vegetables can be grown in flower beds.

Taos Pueblo Copyright(C) 1999 David Slauson. This image is copyrighted. The copyright holder allows anyone to use it for any purpose, provided that the photographer is credited.

Taos Pueblo (inhabited for over 1,000 years) Built between 1000 and 1450: Thick Adobe Wall Construction Puebloan (aka Anasazi) Photo taken by Bobak Ha'Eri. May 2005Bobak Ha'Eri

Pueblos as Green Buildings Adobe provides thermal mass as well as local green building product with healthy breathable walls Built with materials on site Orientation: South-facing for passive solar gain [ck] if this is always the practice Many adjacent units increases the energy efficiency—all have access to the south but the other directions are protected and “insulated.” ck

Mesa Verde Note Southern Orientation, Shading (overhang), thermal mass.

Mesa Verde Stone covered with plaster Photo:

Examples of Modern Indigenous Inspired Design Architect: Craig Henritzy

Canyon de Chelly (Wikipedia Commons)

\South facing glass and thermal mass and split level design, daylighting, adobe textures/style Photo courtesy of Craig Henritzy

Modern Adobe ( standard.html)

Modern Adobe (

Modern Adobe (

Compressed Earth Block (

Sol y Sombra Mazria Architects: Santa Fe, NM

Example #1

Example #2:

Example #3

Example #4

Example #5

Would this building stay cool in Indio, CA?

Solar water heater in addition to home heating

Ancient Design: Note Solar Design Features; what might be missing?

Passive Solar Homes: Grade 4/5

Clerestory Water tubes South Facing Windows

Using Architectural Blocks in Group Design Process

Blocks to Model

Drawing Plans

Water Tubes South Glass

Attached Greenhouse

Thinking about the Solar Performance

Discussing Strengths and Problems with Designs

Adding Landscaping and Solar Electricity Solar Powered Fan

IID Solar Schoolhouse Olympics: Designed for the Imperial Valley: Brawley High School Students’ Entry

Trombe Wall

Teachers: Holtville