JC Solar Homes Models 

To view an active solar home click on the thumb nail. 

I call this the "Tower".  It is a four story hexagonal house before the cube octahedron roof is added. It would measure 16 feet per side 32 feet across and 53 feet from the ground to the top of the triangular roof. The living space is about 3,000 square  feet. A 250 square foot solar collector system is mounted on the roof inclined toward the horizon at an angle of 60 degrees.

This is the "Twin Hex-A-Frame.  Two 16 foot/side hexagonal units are merged with one 16 foot/side cube. The cube has a steep 60 degree A frame type roof. Cube octahedrons are added to the hexagonal units in a manner that allows all the roofs to join seamlessly. The living space of this is in excess of 4,500 square feet. The solar collectors cover an area more than 750 square feet.

This is the same Twin Hex-A-Frame viewed from the top.

Here we have the famous "Hex Three" design made from three hexagonal units and toped with three interlocking cube octahedron roofs. Two 250 square foot collector arrays are mounted upon the roofs of the outside hexagonal units. The interior unit roof  has a solar greenhouse. Just imagine the joy of having your very own third story solar greenhouse in the dead of winter.

This is what the "Hex Three" looks like from the back of the house. The back towers are stair cases that connect the first, second and third floors. This allows more living space inside the building unencumbered by spiral staircases. The house measures 80 feet by 40 feet with a height of  33 feet. The Living is easy in this house with a floor area of. 6,500 square feet.

Last but not least we have the "Hex Six". Notice that the 12 collector arrays are arranged to maximize solar gain in an equatorial region. They would have to be spaced differently to maximize efficiency in a northern region. If all 12 collector arrays were used efficiently with a surface area of 3,000 square feet The savings in heating oil alone would exceed $5,000 per year. The interior of this structure is being used as a parking lot. With a little imagination the parking lot could be transformed into swimming pool and this cheesy motel could be transformed into a high class  thirty room resort with a living space area of about 15,000 square feet.

    PASSIVE SOLAR   

                                                                                                                                                                                                  SOLAR HOT WATER

    SOLAR ELECTRICITY

Strawberry Fields Solar Book Store
How to Build a Solar Hot Water System
Solar Collector Plans 
Energy Independent Housing 
Solar Thermal Energy
Solar Energy Slide Show
Solar Energy Center 

Alternative Housing for the 21st Century 
 Active Solar    Passive Solar  
 Greenhouse Effect   
Heat Storage Vaults 
Gallery of Solar Homes  
Photovoltaic Electricity Animation  
  Solar Water Heating Animation  
Our Sun and Our Future
Five Solar Thermal Principles
Solar Energy Facts
Solar Heating
Solar Energy Science Projects
Products For Sale

                
When the Lights go Out    Sun Dancing With Robert Redford    Earth Bound Leonardo    Bonnie Raitt, the Sunshine Lady

LINKS