Passive Solar Heating

This section discusses factors to consider when selecting exterior doors

• What is passive solar heating
• Facts about passive solar heating in Manitoba
• The six basic principles of good passive solar design
  • site planning;
  • windows;
  • thermal mass storage;
  • circulation of heat;
  • window shading; and
  • room orientation

What is passive solar heating

The collection and use of the free heat energy provided by the sun, through non-mechanical means to reduce the consumption of purchased energy - while maintaining a comfortable, healthy, and pleasing environment.

Facts about passive solar heating in Manitoba

The sun is a massive generator which produces more than enough energy to heat all our homes. Solar energy is clean, renewable, and readily available in our geographic location during the winter heating season.

A well-designed passive solar R-2000 home can get 1/3 to 1/2 of its heating energy from the sun at no cost. Because of our cold, sunny, winter climate, houses in Manitoba have some of the best potential for solar heating gains in all of North America.

Proper passive solar design is the art of balancing solar heat gains and building losses to achieve optimum performance. If done improperly, poor passive solar design can lead to wintertime overheating, excessive summer air conditioning costs, discomfort near large glass surfaces, and condensation on windows.