Week 9 - Passivhaus Design Blog

  Passive Design

Solar Energy


  • The blue bar in the above sketch represents Solar panels which I will use to heat my water supply.
  • Thermodynamic solar panels are reliable heating system.
  • Providing year round water temperatures of 52°.
  • Cheaper overall running costs.
  • Environmentally friendly option.
  • In theory, thermodynamic panels should work in all weather conditions, unlike solar PV or solar thermal systems. 
  • The panels should still produce hot water in windy, wet or cold weather. 
  • If positioned in the right place, they can benefit from some solar gain, but the panels are designed to work without it.
  • Most systems come with a 5-10 year warranty but they last much longer up to 25 years.
  •  Moreover, they require little to no maintenance, so the only expense you'll have to worry about is the installation cost. 
  • Solar thermal panels can help you save up to 600 kg of carbon dioxide emissions in a year.
  • The savings you earn by going solar can take anywhere from seven to 20 years to cover the initial cost. 
  • But the average savings after 20 years? Roughly 16,500 euro. 
  • In addition to cutting down on your monthly energy bill, solar panels also offer the benefit of adding value to your home.
Diagram of how they work.









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