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The Passive Solar House
This book offers a technique for building homes that heat and cool themselves in a wide range of different climates, using ordinary building materials available anywhere and with methods familiar to all building contractors and many do-it-yourselfers. A formerly patented design for author James Kachadorian's Solar Slab heat exchanger is now available for the use of anyone motivated by the desire to build a house that needs a backup furnace or air conditioner rarely if ever. This is a building book for the next century. Applicable to a diversity of regions, climates, budgets, and styles of architecture, Kachadorian's techniques translate the essentials of timeless solar design (siting a home in harmony with nature, using windows as solar collectors, achieving year-round comfort by balancing good insulation with healthy supplies of fresh air) into practical wisdom for today's new generation of solar builders.
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
3 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
James Kachadorian
3 books2 followersJames Kachadorian is a civil engineer with degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is the founder of Green Mountain Homes, a company which gained national recognition as the first provider of innovative, manufactured solar homes. He has built more than 300 passive solar homes. Kachadorian resides in Woodstock, Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 27, 2014
I’ve long been fascinated by Earthships, so when I saw this book on an Earth Day display at the library, I thought it might be time to broaden my understanding of environment integrated building. Which the first few chapters were rather interesting reading to the layperson, it turns out that the book is largely directed at the home builder specialist, with at least half the volume focused on worksheets and tables for calculating heat load, cooling needs, window performance, back-up systems and so forth. Clearly, my local librarians have underdeveloped PR skills. Still, it was worth a few hours of consideration for those interested in home building and design.
The genesis of the book came from Kachadorian’s experience with the oil crisis in the 1970s and believing a partial solution to the energy crisis could be addressed with better home design. Unfortunately, then, as now, many people have reservations about how comfortable a home can be using solar heat, as well as concerns about more eccentric-looking design. His solution was to use concepts of improved home siting, stressing integration of home design with the specifics of the site–latitude, orientation to sun, and consideration of how the sun moves through the year. He then added a passive collection device, similar to a design called a Trombe wall, which collects heat through the principle of mass absorbing solar radiation, then releasing the warmed air during the evening as the mass cools.
Kachadorian’s system uses concrete ducts under a concrete slab under the house as the passive heat collector and air flow system.
solar_slabGeneral design concerns seem to center on moisture issues and potential radon issues (a rather serious issue in the midwest). I didn’t realize it while reading, but Kachadorian makes a point in to address those issues in a small section on “Soil Considerations” in an early chapter. Key to the system is a radon venting drain pipe, and soil preparation beforehand to minimize water collection.
One aspect many people will undoubtedly find attractive is that his designs seem to be based on more ‘traditional’ style housing, particularly a New England saltbox as well as a longer shotgun-style house. However, to floor plan geeks like myself, there’s far too little of house design, and far too much calculating heat loss, etc. The basement is lost in this concept, a potential detraction, particularly for midwesterners used to having basement storage, furnace, laundry, water heating–and tornado escape. I had hopes for more design insight from a chapter called “Three Projects” which shows three different passive solar houses: one in Colorado, one in North Carolina and a Canadian ‘retrofit.’ Unfortunately, although it was likely intended to protect the privacy of the owners, information on the projects largely consists of two or three photos with a testimonial from the homeowner. However, a chapter on a “Sidehill Variation” actually walks the reader through a building plan with step-by step instructions on the full set of worksheets, which seems like it would be useful for a reader who would be interested in implementing the design. The edition I borrowed also had a CD with open-source design software and a photo tour of the homes.
There’s also a short chapter on interior design for the solar home. Given the prevalence of worksheets and calculations, I’m not sure if that was an effort to appeal to the more casual reader, or a way of padding the book. Regardless, largely unnecessary and better suited to a different style book.
Overall, I don’t know that I’d recommend it except for someone who had more experience in the field and could approach it with a more discerning eye than my own. I’d certainly welcome commentary from any design friends as I have a sense it is not as simple as Kachadorian would have the reader believe. Nonetheless, I appreciate his willingness to share his concept and release it as an open-source resource.
cross-posted at https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/... with helpful links to Earthships and photos of Trombe walls and the Kachadorian design.
The genesis of the book came from Kachadorian’s experience with the oil crisis in the 1970s and believing a partial solution to the energy crisis could be addressed with better home design. Unfortunately, then, as now, many people have reservations about how comfortable a home can be using solar heat, as well as concerns about more eccentric-looking design. His solution was to use concepts of improved home siting, stressing integration of home design with the specifics of the site–latitude, orientation to sun, and consideration of how the sun moves through the year. He then added a passive collection device, similar to a design called a Trombe wall, which collects heat through the principle of mass absorbing solar radiation, then releasing the warmed air during the evening as the mass cools.
Kachadorian’s system uses concrete ducts under a concrete slab under the house as the passive heat collector and air flow system.
solar_slabGeneral design concerns seem to center on moisture issues and potential radon issues (a rather serious issue in the midwest). I didn’t realize it while reading, but Kachadorian makes a point in to address those issues in a small section on “Soil Considerations” in an early chapter. Key to the system is a radon venting drain pipe, and soil preparation beforehand to minimize water collection.
One aspect many people will undoubtedly find attractive is that his designs seem to be based on more ‘traditional’ style housing, particularly a New England saltbox as well as a longer shotgun-style house. However, to floor plan geeks like myself, there’s far too little of house design, and far too much calculating heat loss, etc. The basement is lost in this concept, a potential detraction, particularly for midwesterners used to having basement storage, furnace, laundry, water heating–and tornado escape. I had hopes for more design insight from a chapter called “Three Projects” which shows three different passive solar houses: one in Colorado, one in North Carolina and a Canadian ‘retrofit.’ Unfortunately, although it was likely intended to protect the privacy of the owners, information on the projects largely consists of two or three photos with a testimonial from the homeowner. However, a chapter on a “Sidehill Variation” actually walks the reader through a building plan with step-by step instructions on the full set of worksheets, which seems like it would be useful for a reader who would be interested in implementing the design. The edition I borrowed also had a CD with open-source design software and a photo tour of the homes.
There’s also a short chapter on interior design for the solar home. Given the prevalence of worksheets and calculations, I’m not sure if that was an effort to appeal to the more casual reader, or a way of padding the book. Regardless, largely unnecessary and better suited to a different style book.
Overall, I don’t know that I’d recommend it except for someone who had more experience in the field and could approach it with a more discerning eye than my own. I’d certainly welcome commentary from any design friends as I have a sense it is not as simple as Kachadorian would have the reader believe. Nonetheless, I appreciate his willingness to share his concept and release it as an open-source resource.
cross-posted at https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/... with helpful links to Earthships and photos of Trombe walls and the Kachadorian design.
May 23, 2021
When reading a book like this, it is important to know why. Sometimes an author will be coy about their intentions, but in this case the author's point is clear. The author had spent many years building and making plans for buildings that utilized passive solar heating, especially in Vermont and across New England, and wishes for this knowledge to be spread to a larger and potentially friendly audience in a way that understands what the author was doing (and is doing as a consultant in such matters) rather than using previously existing designs inappropriately. This book has a sort of defensive purpose in protecting the author from negative repercussions for having some of his previous work be in the public domain, and he is doing so in part while seeking to promote passive solar heating while also protecting the privacy of the customers who have in the past used his services for their own homes. This is a complex purpose, and the author manages to do a good job at the task. Whether or not one is sold by the technique is one matter, but at least in the consistency and openness of the author's intents there is a lot of credit that deserves to be given here.
This book is a bit more than 200 pages long and is divided into twelve chapters and numerous appendices. After a short preface the author talks about the desirability of letting creation heat one's home through passive solar heating (1). After that comes a look at the concept of passive solar heating (2) as well as a look at the solar slab and basic fundamental aspects of designing (3). This is followed by a discussion of issues of insulation, venting, and fresh air (4) as well as some basic layouts and floor plans (5). A large chapter on doing solar design calculations follows (6), as well as a discussion of the foundation plan and backup heating and cooling (7). After this there are chapters that discuss a solar variation and more worksheets (8), sunspaces and special design considerations (9), interior design for year-round comfort (10), a case study on three projects (11), as well as the use of the CSOL program (12). Then the book ends with appendices that include solar design worksheets (i), various mathematical considerations based on location (ii), thermal properties of building and insulation materials (iii), various statistics based on location (iv), average monthly and yearly degree days for various cities (v), mean percentage of possible sunshine for various places (vi), an isogonic chart (vii), and an index.
One of the aspects of this book that I found to be notable and at least somewhat dubious was the way that the author used so much in the way of mathematics. This book is not for those who want primarily pretty pictures of solar building. What this book is for is for those who are willing and able to make a lot of calculations about how one is going to heat one's home and how much sunlight is necessary to do so, and how much heat at what times of day are going to be necessary. Passive solar heating is by no means as obvious a solution to problems of heating as turning on a thermostat, and the author's comments about what levels of heating and cooling are necessary may in fact be a bit uncomfortable--the author assumes that someone who wants passive solar heating is going to be able to handle more austere conditions than those who deal with conventionally heated homes. The homes the author designs are not going to stay at 70 degrees or 72 degrees all the time--at night they may drop as low as 60 degrees, and if that is too cold for someone, then it is worth wondering if passive solar heating is going to be an appropriate heating solution for one's housing needs.
This book is a bit more than 200 pages long and is divided into twelve chapters and numerous appendices. After a short preface the author talks about the desirability of letting creation heat one's home through passive solar heating (1). After that comes a look at the concept of passive solar heating (2) as well as a look at the solar slab and basic fundamental aspects of designing (3). This is followed by a discussion of issues of insulation, venting, and fresh air (4) as well as some basic layouts and floor plans (5). A large chapter on doing solar design calculations follows (6), as well as a discussion of the foundation plan and backup heating and cooling (7). After this there are chapters that discuss a solar variation and more worksheets (8), sunspaces and special design considerations (9), interior design for year-round comfort (10), a case study on three projects (11), as well as the use of the CSOL program (12). Then the book ends with appendices that include solar design worksheets (i), various mathematical considerations based on location (ii), thermal properties of building and insulation materials (iii), various statistics based on location (iv), average monthly and yearly degree days for various cities (v), mean percentage of possible sunshine for various places (vi), an isogonic chart (vii), and an index.
One of the aspects of this book that I found to be notable and at least somewhat dubious was the way that the author used so much in the way of mathematics. This book is not for those who want primarily pretty pictures of solar building. What this book is for is for those who are willing and able to make a lot of calculations about how one is going to heat one's home and how much sunlight is necessary to do so, and how much heat at what times of day are going to be necessary. Passive solar heating is by no means as obvious a solution to problems of heating as turning on a thermostat, and the author's comments about what levels of heating and cooling are necessary may in fact be a bit uncomfortable--the author assumes that someone who wants passive solar heating is going to be able to handle more austere conditions than those who deal with conventionally heated homes. The homes the author designs are not going to stay at 70 degrees or 72 degrees all the time--at night they may drop as low as 60 degrees, and if that is too cold for someone, then it is worth wondering if passive solar heating is going to be an appropriate heating solution for one's housing needs.
September 19, 2008
Ok, so first of all, NOT a book for everyone...but I LOVED IT! I am already making plans for my future passive solar house...I may not be able to implement all of his slick ideas, but I can do enough to make a difference!
The author has been in the solar house design business for 30 years, and finding that the patent on his ideas has expired, he wrote a book to make his experience accessible to anyone. It is complete with sample design calculations and a CD with software to design your house for you. Fun fun!
The author has been in the solar house design business for 30 years, and finding that the patent on his ideas has expired, he wrote a book to make his experience accessible to anyone. It is complete with sample design calculations and a CD with software to design your house for you. Fun fun!
December 27, 2007
This book has excellent examples of calculations for passive solar design. It's not the first book I would read on the subject because of its technical nature, but it was a great follow-up to the Chiras book.
November 4, 2009
Liked the book very much, definetly will use its design guidelines to inform my next home purchase. Will probably end up building one myself.
The key points:
Face south
Window to thermal mass ratio
Thermal shutters for maximum nightime insulation
the goal is stable temperatures
Very good book because it gives both high level condensed information and gets right down to the formulas required.(did plenty of skimming on the second half with the formulas, will read that when I need it).
Very much gives the sense that this is not hard or require large sacrifive, what you need to do is be aware of the sun and plan accordingly. Don't just expect a huge HVAC system to compensate for a crappy design.
The key points:
Face south
Window to thermal mass ratio
Thermal shutters for maximum nightime insulation
the goal is stable temperatures
Very good book because it gives both high level condensed information and gets right down to the formulas required.(did plenty of skimming on the second half with the formulas, will read that when I need it).
Very much gives the sense that this is not hard or require large sacrifive, what you need to do is be aware of the sun and plan accordingly. Don't just expect a huge HVAC system to compensate for a crappy design.
July 7, 2009
With all due respect, I don't fully understand the purpose of this type of "almost-layman's home guide to designing your house" book. I mean, if I were planning on heating my house solely with sunlight, you'd be damn sure I'd want an engineer involved. I mean, there's just a lot that could go wrong. But yet I keep reading books like this, even though I am in no way qualified to do energy modeling (nor do I particularly care how many inches of concrete you need in which specific climate). Sigh.
June 25, 2011
I checked this out from the library and I liked it well enough to decide to buy myself a copy and use it if I ever get around to building a passive solar home. It is a very thorough, practical and detailed how-to book on building a passive solar home. Appendix 1 has Solar Design Worksheets that you can copy to use for your solar design, such as R- and U-value Calculation, House Heat Loss Calculation, Solar-Supplied Heat Gain etc. Did I mention very detailed?
December 16, 2014
Not an easy book to read, but packed with useful information about how to calculate the heat loss and gain of your passive solar house design. Gives case studies from the author's wealth of passive solar home building experience during the decade and a half he owned a passive solar home building business.
This book is more effective for teaching how to analyze a particular design than for getting ideas on different approaches to passive solar.
This book is more effective for teaching how to analyze a particular design than for getting ideas on different approaches to passive solar.
December 30, 2007
This book has wonderful worksheets and step-by-step guidance on calculating how to design an energy efficient passive solar home.
October 22, 2009
Good info. I'm not sold on the "solar slab".
February 18, 2011
Very informative, lots of technical data for figuring out the what you would need to do to heat a certain sized house with solar heat.
May 12, 2016
More technical than I want.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews