EFS Profiles
Solar House
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
Purpose: Community Involvement, Greening the Campus
Please note that the copyright for this profile is retained by the institution.
The information in this profile was provided by the N.C. Solar Center, the N.C. Energy Division and N.C. State University.
The North Carolina State University Solar House is dedicated to homebuilding professionals and the general public to encourage the efficient use of solar and energy technologies in residential and commercial buildings. The Solar House serves as the headquarters for the N.C. Solar Center and contains the Center's Reference Library and Media Center, which are open to the public.
The house was designed and built to save a significant amount of energy, and at the same time have visual appeal to a wide range of people. We wanted a house about which people would react, "Hey, I'd like to live there!"
We encourage you to visit and see the house for yourself. Please sign the register. Admission is free. Staff and engineering graduate students are available to answer your questions.
Solar House Information
Size: 1,700 sq.ft. living space, plus
320 sq.ft. sunspace and balcony
Rooms: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths,
living room, dining room, kitchen,
den, utility, sunspace, balcony
Glazing: 232 sq.ft. in sunspace
128 sq.ft. in Trombe walls
29 sq.ft. in direct gain windows
Solar Performance
(estimated based on 70 degree F thermostat setting)
Solar: 65%
Auxiliary: 65%
PV Modules: 55% of electrical use
Area Data
Latitude: 35.5N
Elevation: 433 ft.
Heating Degree Days: 3,393
Solar House Technologies
Sunspace, a two story greenhouse, collects solar heat during the day and stores it in the masonry walls and floor.
Trombe Walls are twelve-inch thick masonry walls covered with glass. The sun heats the masonry and the heat is passed to the rooms inside.
Summer Cooling Features include wholehouse exhaust fan in sunspace, removable shading louvers, and water source heat pump coupled to a septic field heat exchanger.
Solar Hot Water Collectors on the roof collect energy for heating domestic hot water.
Photovoltaic Modules convert sunlight directly into electricity for the house.
Insulating Techniques include R-19 in walls, R-30 in the ceiling, thermopane glass, weather stripping, extensive caulking, and operable shutters.
Energy Monitoring constantly evaluates the effectiveness of the house by reading information from more than 250 measuring devices located throughout the house.
Principal Investigators
Albert S. Boyers, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department
Ray F. DeBruhl, Civil Engineering Department
Hebert M. Eckerlin, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department
Architectural Consultant
Bruce Johnson
Builder
Ammons Construction Company
Funding Agencies
U.S. Department of Energy
Energy Division, N.C. Department of Commerce
Carolina Power & Light Company
Southern Solar Energy Center
N.C. Alternative Energy Corporation
For additional information:
The North Carolina Solar Center has a reference library as well as other
free factsheets and information on renewable energy, energy efficiency,
and related subjects. For more information on these topics, or to learn
more about the resources available at the Solar Center, contact:
North Carolina Solar Center
Box 7401
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7401
Phone: (919) 515-3480
Toll-free in North Carolina: 1-800-33-NC SUN
Fax: (919) 515-5778
Email: ncsun@ncsu.edu
This document was last modified on 02/20/2002 10:43:03 AM
© 2005 Second Nature, Inc.
