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The Sun is the main source of heat and light for the Earth. We can use the energy in sunshine to warm and light our homes, heat our water, and provide electricity to power our lights, cookers, refrigerators, and other appliances. This energy comes from processes called solar energy and heating.
Have you ever sat in a car with the doors closed on a sunny day? Did you notice how hot it was in the car? This warmth is just one example of solar heating. We can use the Sun to heat our homes.
A 'passive' solar home or building can collect the Sun's heat through large, south-facing windows. Once the heat is inside, we need to capture and absorb it. Think about a sunny spot on the floor of your house on a cold day. That 'sun spot' is nice and warm because it holds the Sun's heat. We call such things absorbers.
In solar buildings, sunspaces are built onto the south side of the structure and act as large absorbers. The floors of sunspaces are usually made of tiles or bricks that absorb heat throughout the day, and then release heat when the air is colder than the floor.
A challenge with solar heating is keeping the heat inside the house. One way to do this is to use special windows that reflect the heat back into the house. With solar heating the house absorbs heat even during hot weather, when the last thing you need is more heat! So, passive solar homes need to be designed to control the Sun's energy, providing enough heat during cold months and not too much heat during the summer months. It is also possible to add Photovoltaic and Solar Water Heating to your home. Both are expensive but it is possible to get a grant to help with financial costs. More information about these grants can be found from the Energy Saving Trust.
You can use deciduous trees or bushes in front of the south-facing windows. These plants lose their leaves in the winter and allow most of the sun in, while in the summer, the leaves will block out a lot of the sunshine and heat. Or, you can design your house to have overhangs above the south-facing windows. This will block out the summer sunshine when the sun is high in the sky but let it in when the sun is lower in the winter.
