- Passive Solar Heating

Passive solar heating uses free energy from the sunlight to warm the home. South facing windows allow maximum sunlight to enter and heat the house, while the super insulated structure lowers energy costs by retaining heat in the evenings and maintaining a comfortable interior temperature in both hot and cold weather. Interior stone walls and floors provide mass to absorb warmth during the day and re-radiate to warm the rooms at night. To prevent over heating in the summer, the outdoor verandas are covered with deciduous fruit bearing vines such as kiwi and grape that provide shade for cooling in summer and lose their leaves in winter to allow sunlight to enter and heat the home.