Sun Wall

Project: House (s) in the Mountains

Story Collection: Environmentally Sensitive

Rather than placing photovoltaic or hot-water solar panels on the house roof or on the ground, we conceptualized them as a thick solar wall: 500-square-feet of solar hot water panels to heat the house, pool, and spa.

The service wall at the driveway entrance is thickened to integrate the building systems into the facade and the storage millwork.

Panels are tilted 30 degrees to maximize solar heat gain during winter, when the ability to reduce house energy usage is greatest. The steel frame creates a cavity for solar piping and servicing. The exterior wall is inboard of the solar panels and built out even thicker with millwork. The clerestory above bounces solar light off a deep shelf using the sun to light the quarter without glare and with minimal heat gain. Operable windows in the clerestory correspond to operable solid panels in the adjacent bedrooms, adding cross ventilation through to the main courtyard. Overall, the solar panels inject heat directly into the main heating loop. A smart control hub divvies out heat, prioritizing solar energy over boiler usage.

The smart solar system integrates solar panels into the main heating loop, providing energy for the house, pool, and spa.

In the winter, the solar energy conditions the interior and heats the spa while keeping the pool above freezing temperatures.

In the summer, the solar heat is transferred solely to the pool and spa.

The house’s annual energy consumption is 32% less than its average counterpart.

The clerestory above bounces solar light off a deep shelf using the sun to light the quarter without glare and with minimal heat gain. Operable windows in the clerestory correspond to operable solid panels in the adjacent bedrooms, adding cross ventilation through to the main courtyard. Overall, the solar panels inject heat directly into the main heating loop. A smart control hub divvies out heat, prioritizing solar energy over boiler usage.