The sun is the most abundant renewable source of energy on the planet. It provides two of the essential needs of all residences: light and heat. A well-designed or well-renovated home takes advantage of this source of free energy, leading to savings in heating bills and reduced GHG emissions. Before you install a new heating system, try to correct your home’s air leakage and heat-loss problems, and take advantage of your window exposures.

Our recommendations :

1. In winter, the passive solar heat provided by a south-facing window can generate as much heat as an electric baseboard heater. To make the most advantage of this renewable energy, install a heavy floor covering, such as stone tiles, for the light to fall on. The energy will be stored up during the day and gently diffused at night, thanks to thermal inertia (the stone slowly cools, releasing heat into the air).
2. The most effective way to keep the house cool in summer and reduce your air-conditioning needs is to install shutters, outdoor awnings or sunshades, especially on south-facing windows, but on east- and west-facing windows as well. In the sun’s daily journey from east to west, it is at its highest and hottest at noon, when it is due south. Window coverings are an effective way to keep the house cool by preventing the hot rays from coming in through the most exposed windows.
3. Poor insulation and air leaks can lead to major heat loss, and this will continue to be a problem even with a new heating system. A better idea is to explore less expensive improvement options, such as changing weatherstripping around doors and windows, sealing openings at the bottom of walls and adding insulation in the attic.

Return to Heating, ventilation and air conditioning ←