Australian Passive Solar Home

Our passive solar home datalogging system

Well, I think the data logging system of our passive solar house is finally nearly finished!…
Airtightness in an energy-efficient home

Airtightness of energy efficient homes is a very interesting area. The argument goes like this. The…
Thermal mass: water versus concrete

In an energy-efficient home, thermal mass can play a critical part in controlling interior temperature swings.…
Are local housing experts part of the problem?

One thing I find very odd about experts promoting new energy efficient housing in Australia is…
East and west shading

One of the interesting things about passive solar house design is shading. In our southern hemisphere,…
How thermal mass works to keep a house warm in winter

One area that causes most confusion when describing the operation of our passive solar house is…
Always ask: what will this proposed home cost?

I think the single key question to ask before settling on an approach to energy-efficient home…
Australian passive solar design – 80 years ago!

Many people suggest to me that what I am describing in passive solar design of houses…
Radiant heating benefits

One aspect of energy-efficient house design that I think these days is often missing in action…
Passive solar house convectional ventilation system

While our passive solar house is conventional in materials and construction, it does have a few…
Energy efficient housing is in a huge mess

I think that Australian energy-efficient housing is in a huge mess. At one end of the…
Inspiring, cheap, innovative, filled with winter sunshine and largely owner-built

I’ve been interested in energy-efficient home design all my life, and for long time I’ve been…
You don’t need to spend a lot to have an energy-efficient new home

So many energy-efficient house designs in Australia are inordinately expensive. To many people, that just goes…
Passivhaus is not passive solar house

As you would expect, Australian government research agencies – notably the CSIRO – are experts in…
Comfort: measuring relative humidity versus dew point

I measure and and display relative humidity in our passive solar home that we are building…
It’s all been done before!

I am often asked about the ideas that underpin our passive solar house. Especially since it…
Relying on air conditioning does not equal a resilient house

When talk turns to energy efficient housing, I often see people mentioning ‘resilience’. The way the…
What is a comfortable interior temperature range?

What temperature range are you happy with in your home? It’s a question fundamental to energy…
Owner-building in Australia

I’ve been asked about owner building a home in Australia. It’s a process that we’ve nearly…
Thermal mass is always changing in temperature

Someone, commenting on the thermal mass behaviour of our passive solar house north of Canberra, said,…