Renewable Energy-Solar

The sun drives our weather system, makes plants grow and is such a reliable source of heat and light that we sometimes take it for granted. Generations have used glass and other materials and structures to capture and magnify the sun’s energy and now modern solar technologies can heat our buildings, provide light, give us hot water and make electricity. Solar energy is clean, environmentally friendly and will be around for a very long time.

Passive solar design involves orientation of a building in the best way to use the sun’s free heat and light as well as using good window design and choosing the proper materials for the ‘envelope’ of the building. The ‘envelope’ of the building means the walls, floor and roof. Passive solar design can reduce the need for extra heating and lighting, may not cost any more to build and can generally produce a more pleasant and healthy living environment.

In order to get the best use from the sun for your home, the ‘lived-in rooms’ (the living room, kitchen, family room) should face south and have larger windows than the other rooms and spaces (bathrooms, utility, bedrooms, corridors) which face north. It’s also important to prevent overshadowing from nearby buildings or from trees and shrubs.

Solar Thermal Systems use energy from the sun to heat a liquid in a panel or collector and then transfer this heat to help provide water and / or space heating. The two most common types of panels or collectors are flat plate and evacuated tube.

The collectors are at their most efficient if they face directly south and are tilted to an angle of about 35 degrees. Fortunately, most roofs are built to this 35 degree angle and placing the collector on a roof keeps it safe from damage.
The collectors used at the Lifetime Lab are of the evacuated tube type, are located on one of the south facing roofs and they help to provide hot water for the space heating system.

Solar Photovoltaic Systems

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV cells are used widely in consumer products such as solar calculators and watches. ‘Stand-alone’ PV systems are often used in areas where there is no direct electricity supply, to power lights, radios, parking meters, etc.

The PV panels in Lifetime Lab are located to the North of the site, with the panels themselves facing South. The electricity generated by these PV panels is stored in nearby batteries and the electricity is used to power the lights around the site.