A Passive Solar Sunroom: Orchids grow in Snohomish

Chris Herman of Winter Sun Design has recently completed plans and obtained a permit for a 16'x16' passively solar heated sunroom near Lake Roesiger in Snohomish County, Washington.

The sunroom incorporates 92 sq. ft. of south facing, unshaded, vertical glass as the collector. The heat will be stored in 6 x 55 gallon poly drums filled with a water / glycol solution. Partial night insulation with an R value of 8 will double as a daytime reflector to increase the gain through the lower glass where the barrels are to be located. No other form of heat will be needed to provide for day and evening use of the space, and year-round growing of orchids. Since no other heat will be added, the sunroom will be isolated from the rest of the house by an exterior grade glass door, as required by the State Energy Code.

Other "greener" features include: 2x4 manufactured roof trusses w/ R-30 insul., 24" spacing for studs w/ R-19, Fiberbond recycled content wallboard, OSB sheathing and sub-floor w/ phenol glue, low grade built up insulated headers, engineered TJI floor joists w/ R-30, concrete foundation w/ 15% fly ash, and salvaged dbl. pane windows and doors.

Overhead glass will not be used, and east and west glass will be minimized as they are counterproductive to solar heating. The conservation and solar features will make this room not only capable of heating itself but also the adjacent rooms at times.

The "greener" features make it capable of helping save trees, the air and our way of life.

Reprinted from the EcoBuilding Times - Spring 1994