Every Home is a Solar Home

Every Home is a Solar Home

Most people driving past this home wouldn't give it a second look, much less recognize it as a "Solar" home, but in fact it is, and not just because "Every Home is a Solar Home". This is an example of a Sun Tempered design. The home was built in El Paso County by a local non profit, Mission Valley Homes, as part of their commitment to fulfilling the need for affordable housing. At just over 1,000 sq. ft. the original floor plan provided by the City of El Paso was left unchanged, but thanks to the Energy Center at the University of Texas at El Paso, that's where conventional construction ended. With funding provided by the State of Texas, State Energy Conservation Office, the Energy Center's Passive Solar Homes Project works with non profit housing groups to not only include solar in their homes but also to improve energy efficiency.

The project is the brain child of Energy Center Program Coordinator (and EPSEA member) Steve Cook. Steve recognized the disproportionate amount of income that energy costs extract from the very folks who can least afford it. Although the design changes implemented do increase the initial cost of the home, a quick study of life cycle costs show a return on the "energy investment" from the first year.

This is a great example of how a little solar goes a long way. There is no added thermal mass in the home and most of the floor is carpeted. The solar design features together with the added insulation package reduce the need for both heating and cooling and the homeowners are comfortable.

Orientation, Orientation, Orientation!

The orientation of the building lot was near perfect, making this home an ideal candidate for solar.The long wall of the house runs east to west.

Sun Tempering does not mean you must cover the south wall of your home with glass! Move 7% of the glass to the south wall. We say move because there's probably enough glass area in the existing plan, it's just not located where you want it to do the most good. Remember that it's 7% NET.

Glass areas on the east, west and north walls were reduced. Decreasing the amount of glass on these walls reduces both the heating and cooling loads.

Sole plate insulation was put in place before standing up the frame walls.

Prior to installing interior insulation, all plumbing and electrical penetrations were sealed using either expanding foam insulation or caulking. All rough openings around doors and windows were also sealed using the same materials as well as using strips of fiberglass insulation where needed.

The furnace closet plenum was sheathed and all walls surrounding the furnace closet, both interior and exterior were insulated.

Insulation: Code minimum in El Paso, (the very least you must do) calls for R-22 ceilings and R-11 walls and no requirement for perimeter slab insulation.

Under the Energy Center's program the attic insulation was upgraded to R-30, the walls to R-13 and the exterior impregnated sheathing was replaced with R-4 expanded polystyrene.

Perimeter slab insulation, 1", R-5 extruded polystyrene.

All double glazed (insulated) windows.

The cost for all of these changes have averaged less than $1500. The actual added cost per sq. ft. will decrease with larger homes. If you were to build a 2,000 sq. ft. home, wouldn't an added $1/sq. ft. be a great investment?

$1/sq. ft.