Heart-passive solar

PASSION FOR PASSIVE SOLAR: The DIY Home Building Experience

Last updated: October 15th, 2018

passive solarAs lifelong activists, my partner and I have always been uncomfortable using nuclear-generated electricity. When we decided to move a few years ago, our primary requirement was to live green. Having already built one passive solar house, a green building design technology that employs the sun’s energy without active mechanical systems, our path was already set. After seeing a photo of a simple looking off-grid house in Nova Scotia, designed and built by off-grid pioneer, Hans Albarda, we embarked on our home-building adventure.

Within days we found and purchased the land we wanted: ten minutes easy cycling distance from the nearest small town, thus reducing dependence on a car, 5+ acres for my large dogs and sufficient space to find the perfect spot to properly orient a passive solar house. Though free to move virtually anywhere we wished, we chose to stay within the community of Durham, Ontario that we’ve come to love and involve those we know and respect in helping us to design, plan and build our home.

We spent a wonderful year working full time to research and plan exactly what we wanted to do. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting other off-gridders and listening to their valuable input. Although we made the decisions, the planning of our project became an almost collegial affair. The basic envelope and construction ideas came from Albarda’s generous assistance, the rest from our constantly changing wish list. We decided to keep the bungalow rather small, 1250 square feet, in part to accommodate my declining mobility. Our goal was to lessen our environmental footprint by building a house that’s both easy to maintain and affordable.

Passive solar DIY home buildersWe tried to employ as many local people as possible for the home’s construction. Consequently, most of those who had a hand in the building and finishing of our home are friends. The physicality of the construction process precluded me from taking part, but my 72-year-old partner more than made up for my inability, filling every concrete block with sand. We also endeavored to keep the worksite open to those who wanted to follow the process. On the day ground was broken a small crowd gathered to cheer us on. A mother and her young son even came to help dig the foundations. Because we’d opened our project, our hearts and our dreams to others, many came to participate and learn this alternative design process.

Several people who participated in the home’s construction had reservations about how well it would function: Would we be warm enough? Would we have enough power? Surely we would need a generator or propane as an emergency “backup?” We’ve since dispelled those doubts, holding numerous “open houses” for all to see and experience the house during all sorts of weather, including the coldest day of last winter. Visitors have been pleasantly surprised by how cosy the house is in winter and cool in summer. They experienced “passive solar”—the sun warming the house and the thermal mass holding the temperature. The house design ensures passive solar gain. It’s 56’ long and only 27’ deep. The long wall faces south with large windows that allow maximum penetration by the sun when its angle is lowest— in the winter. In summer, the sun doesn’t reach into the house because it’s so high in the sky and our walls are so thick. We have batteries to hold the electricity that comes to us from the sun via the photovoltaic solar panels. The home’s considerable amount of thermal mass comes from sand-filled concrete block walls and an insulated concrete floor. It is the “sponge” which holds and gently releases coolness in summer and warmth in winter. We maintain a steady comfortable temperature with rigid insulation and a frame wall with more insulation on the outside of the block walls. To prevent thermal bridging (transfer of heat), our roof is supported by the exterior frame wall and the ceilings are supported by the interior block walls. All our windows are triple glazed and the frames are fiberglass, which helps to prevent heat loss or gain.

In keeping with our desire for simplicity and passive solar, the electricity we use is generated by our ten 85 watt photovoltaic panels fixed on the south wall of the house between the windows. There are no moving parts and thus little to go wrong. Having mounted them on the wall, we can easily access the panels to clean them and they don’t get covered in snow. In fact they work very efficiently in February when the days are short and we need the energy, partly because they benefit from the reflection of light from our deep cover of snow.

Our house is very well insulated to maintain a steady temperature, but we still need fresh air. Our exhaust and intake of air is done through four pipes, each 4” in diameter and 100’ long. They run below the frost line, bringing in pre-warmed/cooled air to the house.

Instead of purchasing equipment that’ll eventually wear out and need to be replaced, we’ve invested in a home that works without any mechanical equipment inside the house. It’s also shielded by thick walls and triple-glazed windows. The result: peace and quiet. In addition, we have no gas or electricity from any other source; other than property taxes, we have no bills.

Those involved in the building of the home and those who’ve come to visit have learned and experienced that this is a simple but comfortable home, powered by the sun’s silent generosity. I’m conscious of the many hands that helped build this home. More importantly, I’m aware of the joy and enthusiasm brought by the participants and their interest and belief in what we’ve done here.

My partner and I both know that building this house is one of the most important things we’ve done—for ourselves, for our community and to open the minds of our hundreds of visitors to the potential of passive solar power and the reality of gentler living.

[su_panel background=”#f2f2f2″ color=”#000000″ border=”0px none #ffffff” shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]Written by Liz Barningham

Photography by Mary Tripp MacCarl. © Liz Barningham and Mary Tripp MacCarl