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Skylights in Passive Solar Homes
Two alternatives to standard windows are clerestory windows – those high-up windows that sit between two levels of external roofing – and skylights. They both have their uses in passive solar design, though you have to be careful with their effects on light and heating.
Building Layouts for Passive Solar
The ideal layout for a home built around passive solar concepts is a simple rectangle. Not only does this ensure that the long axis of the building gathers as much solar energy as possible (assuming it faces true south, of course), but it also limits the amount of summer heat gathered by the east- and west-facing sides.
Thermal Mass for Passive Solar Homes
"Thermal mass" is all the stuff inside your home which the sun can heat: it includes everything from the walls and floor to furnishings to special construction materials designed to absorb and retain warmth. When you talk to professional installers, it is unlikely they will include minor incidentals in their definition of the term - they're mostly concerned with dedicated mass such as concrete slabs and Trombe walls.
How to Choose Non-Solar Windows
A good passive solar home design maintains a balance between solar and non-solar windows. Solar windows are those which face the sun, on the side of the house pointing true south; non-solar windows are those on the other sides.
Using Thermal Mass in Passive Solar
Thermal mass is everything inside a home that absorbs, retains and later emits heat, effectively providing free heating. Like most things in home construction, there are many different approaches to its use.