WOODINVILLE

PASSIVE SOLAR HOME

This home would stand out for its Northwest Contemporary-inspired outside, but there is much more; its passive solar design.  Passive solar takes advantage of a building’s site, southern exposure, and materials used to capture heat and minimize energy use.

By far, the best source of light in this home is the south-facing great room window wall.  Windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer.

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The home's great room catches sunlight which is converted into heat, which is absorbed into the concrete floor.  As the temperature drops at night, this heat is radiated into the space. 

In the summer, the broad-facing southern overhang  shades the solar wall and reduces unwanted heat.  A wall of widows in the kitchen roll up to open the home to the cool breezes and outdoor living space during the warm summer months.