Ancillary spaces such as the pantry, bathroom, and closet sit on the home’s cooler, north-facing side, whereas the primary living spaces are on the warmer, south-facing side. Butler notes that the ...

The passive-house building standard relies on lots of insulation and intentional design to use as little energy as possible for heating and cooling. "Things like 'passive house' have become more ...

Following the first energy crisis in 1973 there was a rush to heat homes with the sun. It was a tinkerer's paradise, with all manner of solar heating systems migrating from garage workshops to ...

As I discussed in last week’s column ("Resilience: Dramatically Better Building Envelopes," Jan. 4), a resilient home is extremely well-insulated, so that it can be kept warm with very little ...

Q We're hoping to buy a large lot soon and eventually build a retirement home there. Any tips for picking a good site that will let us use many of the passive solar principles you have written about?

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Jun. 12—Building a passive solar adobe home wasn't the norm in 1982. But studio artist and Zen practitioner Susan Linnell, driven ...

This couple built a passive solar home on 18-acres in Shelby County that uses the sun to stay warm year-round and features incredible gardens.

A Shelby County couple built a custom home using passive solar design principles. The home's orientation and an "air floor" help it absorb and store the sun's heat. This design allows the house to ...