St. Michaels University School recently added a solar system to one of their boarding houses. Below are the pictures. The last one shows the A-frame. It is very simple to set up and one of the most popular ways of mounting a solar hot water system.

Ann and Gord Baird of Eco Sense walk the talk of sustainable living in their multi-generational home. Features include passive solar design, solar PV with grid tie, net zero electricity, energy and water conservation, solar thermal hot water, composting (no flush) toilets, rain water harvesting, grey water re-use, a living roof, earthen floors, and natural finishes into their exceptionally beautiful, modern and affordable version of earthen architecture. The couple’s passion and knowledge is expressed in their work consulting, building, advancing policy , research, and in the hundreds of tours they have given through their home. The Eco-Sense home is registered for the Living Building Challenge. They teach that if it isn’t affordable it isn’t sustainable and live their motto Less life stuff…more life style!

Their website is eco-sense.ca and they also have a blog.

Gord educating seminar participants on the Thermomax solar collectors

Back of Solar Tubes

Two solar collectors at eco-sense

Close up of solar collector at eco-sense

Not all homes were designed with solar systems in mind. Here is an example of a determined home owner solving this problem!

This 690 tube system supplies the hot water needed for a hospital in Lindau, Germany. It was installed in 1997. The system is made up of twenty-three 30-tube collectors.

This 220 Tube system was installed in Victoria BC for space heating and a swimming pool in 1992. The system heats the pool in summer and a section of the house in winter through a pair of 300,000 btu stainless steel heat exchangers.

This 180 tube system in Whitehorse heats a series of tanks per the Thermomax commercial hot water sketch. Now 19 years old it is still going strong. In 1997 the owner added a 240 tube system to the Gold Rush Inn.

This 180 tube system was designed to process the hot water for a photo lab. It was installed in Victoria, BC in 1991. B.C. Buildings Corporation installed this system for the B.C. Archives branch providing hot water for two microfilm processing machines through a Vissmann Verticell heat exchange tank.

This is 150 Tubes designed for Domestic Hot Water, Pool and Space Heating in West Vancouver. It was installed in 1995 It was professionally installed by Veltex Heating. The system caused a significant reduction in the heating bills at this waterfront home.

120 tubes in Moscow Idaho in 1997. This 120 tube solar system is one component in a sustainable house, relying on solar and wind power. The solar collector heats the bottom coil of a 120 gallon triple coil stainless steel domestic hot water tank. A backup boiler is coupled to the middle coil and the radiant floor system takes it’s heat from the top coil. The tank also has four electric elements that the wind generators and photovoltaic system can use to dump excess electricity. The house has a thermal storage mass extending two feet below the main slab. This carries space heat over bad weather spells and prevents downward heat loss.

90 tubes in Eugene Oregon in 1993. This professionally installed solar system heats the 120 gallon domestic hot water tank and, when that is satisfied, supplements the house heating system through a radiant floor system.