Solar House

Since the first major oil crisis of the 1970s, books of passive solar home plans have been available to the intrepid home builder, but very few passive solar homes were actually built in those years. While a solar house was considered a fringe segment of the real-estate market until recently, solar homes are poised to grow in value faster than any other sort as the cost of energy continues to spiral out of control.

Solar house plans may include active or passive designs, though most newer units incorporate both. Modern passive solar house plans usually include a large rock or concrete mass to absorb and hold solar energy during the day, which is then surrendered to the rest of the home though clever convection currents at night. Such a solar house design often will cover most of the heating needs for a residence, even in very cold climates.

The home heating uses of solar power are just one aspect of the current generation of solar powered homes. In addition to the passive designs, one will find active solar power for homes such as photovoltaic (PV) panels being used in conjunction with water or wind power to supply electricity. The use of solar hot water in the home is also quite common, especially in North America.

Quick recovery from a natural disaster is another advantage of using solar energy in homes such as those in Mississippi and Louisiana found out in 2005. When the diesel ran out for urban generators, the few solar houses in the region were the only ones that had access to heat and fresh water. As such disasters become more common with increasingly chaotic weather, the ability of a solar powered home to house and shelter its occupants could mean the difference between life and death if rescue is lengthy.

While people everywhere are beginning to see the unique and many faceted benefits of the solar house, many financial institutions in North America are less willing to consider lending to people who are willing to go completely renewable. For instance, few institutions will make mortgage loans for homes that don’t have a conventional central heat system, even though this can add tens of thousands of dollars to the price of a home. Be sure and check with your lending institution to see if they have any such restrictions. If they do, you may want to keep shopping for a loan, since that money could be better used for your solar equipment.