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Textbook Design for a Solar and Passive-Solar House

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This house in Poland, designed by architect Peter Kuczia is practically a textbook example of designing for solar energy generation, and it is done at no extra cost.

The roof is angled perfectly to the sun for Northerly Poland (roofs need to be steeper the further North the house is on the planet) and the entire roof has been enlisted into the production of electricity for the net zero energy home.

The aesthetics of the house leave something to be desired, with this strange looking fence. But as far as a textbook case of perfect solar design, where the need for energy generation on-site informs the form of the architecture, this is a perfect example.

About 80% of the building is oriented to the South to maximize electricity production from its solar roof. At no extra cost, this is a carbon neutral building able to generate its own electricity.

The dark facade of the “black box”, a three storey structure clad with charcoal coloured fiber cement panels, is warmed by the sun, reducing heat loss to the environment. Both the passive and active solar energy concepts and a high standard of thermal insulation are enhanced by a ventilation plant with thermal recovery system.

You can see how the passive solar heat gain from the skylight really bombs the vestibule with warmth as well as light. In the building envelop there are no heat bridges allowing heat loss and there is additional thermal insulation of window frames. It’s easy being green.

Source: HouseDesignNews