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Our guest house is an active / passive solar heated building. The north facing glass roof (see picture) is pitched at 90 degrees to the winter sun, maximizing the insolation (the absorption of the sun's rays) when it is most needed. An electric fan, thermostatically controlled, forces the solar heated air through ducting and into the concrete floor, which in turn is fully insulated and designed to store the thermal energy. This provides warmth during the cooler nights. We used aluminium foil and local seaweed as insulating materials to retain the day's heat. Seaweed is non-toxic and according to CSIRO research only 20% less effective than glass wool. The hot water service is normally solar heated. However, on overcast days or days of high consumption you can flick a switch and the electric backup will take over.
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