One of the best and most popular applications of active solar for new homes is for domestic hot water (DHW). Designing these systems properly will yield years of benefits over the life of the home, and.... if the cost of solar is integrated in the mortgage, the savings in energy will help to offset the incremental cost of a slightly higher payment.
Within the EnerGuide proram, the savings can multiply with a rating. Additional savings can be found in the installation cost, since building solar into a new home avoids the time-consuming challenges of finding ways to make solar fit into an existing, older residence.
NEW! See Heat Your Home for information on expanding your solar system for space heating.
Visit our VELUX page to learn more about how these outstanding, Energy Star solar systems qualify for LEED ratings.
MOST COMMON NEW HOME MISTAKE
The most common challenge we see for new homes is to orient a suitable roof surface on the lot to maximize solar gain. We have often been asked to evaluate a new home's potential for solar or to recommend a solar system, ...but after the foundation is already in place. This can severely limit the options available to homeowners but is easily averted by early planning. See Site Evaluation.
To get the most out of solar... one of the surfaces (roof or wall) of your new home will have to be oriented to solar south or at least within 30 degrees. Numerous home designs are available that are adaptable to fit the many unique site characteristics common to our region. A ground mount may also be a solution. Creative Solar works with several, well known designers and builders that have considerable experience with site planning and preparation, as well as having an understanding of the essentials to maximize solar potential.
Solar on New Homes Can Save Plenty!
New products, improved designs, and better applications of thermal barriers are all coming to bear in the Nova Scotia home housing market as savy buyers are learning that our energy future demands new approaches. Solar is part of the mix and prospective new owners have the opportunity to enjoy free, passive heat combined with the long term benefits of low cost heating and hot water.
Hawkins House to be heated for $200-$300/yr. How? Passive House super insulation and sealing techniques. Creative Solar supplied an Enerworks, single collector solar system.
SolarSheat on New Home
Designing a new home presents many opportunities to incorporate solar appliances. SolarSheat from YourSolarHome is well proven across North American markets and can provide 'free', supplemental heat for many years. Model 1500G (in picture) requiresno power to operate and, in this example, is installed right into the brick facing. They can also easily be flashed into vinyl molding and other siding so as to become an integral part of the building.
Solar Ready ($200 rebate now available for Nova Scotia, see below)
To prepare for a solar installation, either for the immediate or in the future, here are the key considerations/components:
Construction plans should indicate the future component locations - alert your on-site trades to the solar ready component of your design.
Ensure a roof or ground location for the solar collectors of suitable size, pitch and orientation Note: orientation could apply to either a pitched roof or to how the foundation is set on the lot. Shading must also be considered.
Install labelled conduits from the mechanical room to the attic (this can either be double, 2"/2.5" plastic pipes or the actual, insulated copper or stainless line set that will be used to carry the solar heating fluid), via inside walls & cavities.
If not a pipe run, then build in a chase or open passage from the attic to the utility (subject to building codes).
The utility room should be located directly below the roof section (or adjacent to ground mount) that will carry the collectors.
Space needs to be set aside in the utility area for an additional hot water tank(s), ideally, directly beneath the labelled conduits. Wall space will also be required for controls/pumping station.
A 15A electrical outlet (for the solar pump & controller) needs to be located close to the planned, controller location
Ideally, your primary hot water system will include plumbing adjustments to allow for an efficient hook up once you (or future owner) go ahead with your solar intstallation. Creative Solar can advise on those requirements.
See "Building Solar Ready Homes" on our LINKS page. For new homes, a $200 rebate is now available from Nova Scotia for building 'solar ready'. Learn more on our rebates page.
This allowance to run the supply and return lines has enough space for two, insulated pipes, travelling from the mechanical room to the attic. If you're paying your builder for a "solar ready" feature, make sure there's more to it than just running these empty conduits to your roof!
Solar for New Homes 'Best Fit' Products
Both of these products, the Solarsheat HRV air exchanger/warming solution and the VELUX water heating system are ideally suited to new home construction. They are best designed into the new home and can each offer superb, long term energy efficiencies.
VELUX solar panels for heating hot water for domestic use, are flashed into the roof, rather than mounting with a frame, thereby becoming an integral part of your new home.
All new homes require an air exchanger. With a little planning, using our Solarsheat 2 Pak, the incoming air can be warmed as required. Click on the image for specs.
Click on for info on enerGuide for new and existing homes.
enerGUIDE Rebate for New Homes
Within the enerGUIDE program for new homes, as administered by Efficiency NS, rebates are available for high performance ratings. Note that this a different approval process from the enerGUIDE retrofit pgram (for existing homes) and that it actually starts with new home plans as well as an on-site follow up.
To qualify within this program, the home evaluation must be initiated early in the planning process and while changes/upgrades to the home design are still possible. By adding solar, your new home may qualify for a higher enerGuide rating and a larger total rebate. See the Efficiency NS link adjacent for details and on how to sign up. Learn more about rebates here.
Canadian Solar Home Design Manual
This superb manual, produced by Solar Nova Scotia, is for those home builders looking for information on any and all aspects of constructing a solar home incorporating active and passive systems. We highly recommend this manual for developers, contractors and home builders.
The Canadian Solar Home Building Manual was totally produced here in Nova Scotia and points to the wealth of talent we have available to assist builders with solar design. It is available at several locations, listed on the Solar Nova Scotia web site c/o our links page.
Available c/o Solar Nova Scotia
Creative Solar 63 McQuade Lake Crescent, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3S 1C4 Tel. 902-446-8161, Fax. 902-455-1522 E. info@creativesolar.ca
