Low-Tech Building Techniques
for Energy-Efficient Housing
the house temperature will drop slowly if
there is an interruption in the supply of
heat. If the house is exposed to solar gain
and reaches 72 degrees Fahrenheit after a
typical sunny winter day, the temperature
of the house still will be in the 60s the
following morning if the overnight temper-
ature drops to 10 degrees. This is a particu-
larly nice feature for people who heat with
wood, as they need not light an evening or
overnight fire.
Active-solar systems, sunspaces, green-
houses, and even added mass for passive-
solar heating are not cost-effective ways
to reduce heating costs in climates such as
that of northern New