South-facing windows cut fuel costs. (Outfront Build).(passive energy gains)(The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling)(Brief Article)

Professional Builder (1993), November, 2002 by McCune, Heather

The sun's low trajectory through the winter sky allows light to penetrate homes through south-facing windows for sometimes huge passive solar energy gains. Passive solar advocates say wall and floor structures within south-facing homes often retain heat long after the sun sets. Meanwhile, strategically adding more windows to a south-facing home can cut winter fuel bills by 30%.

The gains can be so impressive that they have spawned a community of builders in many regions of the country (not just the sunny ones) who specialize in building sun-tempered homes and passive solar ...