A report in Utah's St. George Spectrum newspaper focused on growing local interest in passive solar homes that allow their owners to help the environment and save money based on the design of the structures themselves.
"Our philosophy is that the housing industry is going to move to smaller, more efficient homes anyway," local builder Jack Scully told the newspaper, going on to point out that the Baby Boom generation is especially likely to favor smaller and more efficient living spaces as it reaches retirement.
On the U.S. Department of Energy's EnergySavers.gov website, consumers can learn more about passive solar. Basically, the building technique does not require mechanical or electrical devices. Instead, it uses existing features like windows and walls to keep a house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
In comparison, active solar energy allows homeowners to generate electricity for their own house and in many cases, to sell back excess power to their local utilities while enjoying state and federal tax breaks.
