Ancillary spaces such as the pantry, bathroom, and closet sit on the home's cooler, north-facing side, whereas the primary living spaces are on the warmer, south-facing side. Butler notes that the ...

A rare home tour of Sonam Wangchuk's Ladakh residence reveals how mud walls, passive solar design and composting toilets keep ...

Passive solar — a building approach that uses the sun's energy for heating, cooling, and lighting without mechanical equipment — helps keep homes comfy year-round. When Doug Butler and Jamie Jarboe ...

A Shelby County couple built a custom home using passive solar design principles. The home's orientation and an "air floor" help it absorb and store the sun's heat. This design allows the house to ...