Are you planning on building a new solar home or on adding energy-efficient features to your existing house? Mother Earth News has some design ideas and free building guides that will help.
Mother Earth News, August/September 2002
Even if you’re not planning on building a solar home, there are plenty of energy-saving details that you can incorporate into any home design or add on to your existing home. Passive solar heating and cooling ideas are often common-sense, simple and inexpensive. As an example, using energy-conserving landscaping can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in utility bills every year while adding to the value of your home and property.
Mother Earth News magazine has provided solid information on many topics related to sustainable living and natural building for several decades, and now many of these articles are available on-line. I’ve compiled a list of links to some of their best articles on passive solar design, landscaping and retrofitting, by experts like Dan Chiras and Gary Reysa. Combined, the articles add up to a book-length primer on green, energy saving design. They are yours to read and use for free.
Click here to get the Mother Earth News Solar Design Guides >>>
Plan3D is a website that will let you experiment with your solar design ideas before you build. It’s a simple and intuitive CAD program, available by inexpensive subscription, that will help you “build” a three-dimensional model of your home. Then, you can move it in space, test sunlight and shadow angles, and add landscaping, shade pergolas, walks and driveways.