Passive Solar Biomass | Hydro | Hydrogen | Wind | Photovoltaics | Solar Heat | Passive Solar | Geothermal | Transportation Designing a building with Passive Solar orientation is a highly effective way to meet a large portion of a building’s heat and light needs. If we pay attention to the design of our homes and buildings, we can allow the sun will do an immense amount of work for us. In the northern hemisphere, a passive solar design will have a broad southern exposure with many windows. This allows the low southern winter sun to shine in through the glass and heat our buildings. This can be most effective if the floor where the sun shines in has a good thermal mass, such as stone or concrete. These materials are dense and will retain much of the sun’s energy and release it throughout the night. To limit heat loss, it helps if the building has very few windows on the northern side, where the winter sun will never shine. It’s also important to install overhangs above the windows, so that they can shade the sun out of the building during the hot summer months, keeping the building cool. Projects for Students Web Site Description Solar Cooking Build a solar cooker. Many designs and uses. Greenhouse Effect Melting ice with the greenhouse effect. A great project for learning about the green house effect and experiencing hot water from the sun.   More Information Web Site Description A.S.E.S. American Solar Energy Society. Solar Radiation Renewable Resource Data Center, Solar Radiation Data. Renewable Energy Policy Renewable Energy Policy Project and the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology. F.S.E.C. Florida Solar Energy Center. Solar Education Tucson Electric Power Company's solar Education site. Great kid-friendly info with fun animations and simple graphic explanations.   Resources for Teachers Web Site Description Energy Ant U. S. Department of Energy: Energy Ant Kids Page. Chewonki Lessons Bring your class to Chewonki to learn about the alternative energy sources we use everyday. We can also come to your school to teach about Global Climate Change. Energy Quest Great resource for teachers and lots of information and projects for students.

The Renewable Energy Poster is the latest in a series of educational materials called Pathways to a Sustainable Future created by the Chewonki Foundation.