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Articles & Books From Green Building
Save money (and the planet!) with this hands-on and timely guide to solar power for residential and commercial use. Looking for an easy-to-follow introduction to solar energy? Solar Power For Dummies walks you through the differences between residential, commercial, and utility-scale systems, as well as the latest advancements in solar panel technology and energy storage solutions that create new opportunities and applications for consumers and businesses.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-15-2022
The words “solar power” often bring to mind solar panels and photovoltaic (PV) solar systems, but you can harness the sun’s energy in a number of smaller ways. The practical and affordable solar projects listed here are ones anyone can build or take advantage of. They explain how to use solar energy to purify drinking water, enjoy a portable shower, and cool your house.
Article / Updated 07-29-2019
Boosting the efficiency of your swimming pool is an important first step in reducing your carbon footprint and moving toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Here's how to make your swimming pool energy efficient so that when you add solar, you get the most bang for your buck: Reduce bends in the piping: Sharp bends in the PVC piping slow down the flow and require more power to do the same job.
Article / Updated 07-10-2019
You can heat your pool using solar power. Your pool system already includes the pump, controller, and filter, along with PVC pipes that route the water flow. Simply break into the PVC line after the filter and run a couple of flex hoses (or PVC, if you prefer) to the solar collector panel, which you can lay out on the ground or set against a hill to achieve some tilt toward the sun.
Photovoltaic Design and Installation For Dummies (9781119544357) was previously published as Photovoltaic Design and Installation For Dummies (9780470598931). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.
Article / Updated 03-02-2017
Radiant floor heat systems use solar power to heat water, which is then pumped through your home's floor. You can use solar-heated water to heat your home off-grid. Radiant heat, without solar, costs much less than forced-air heating for efficiency reasons. Installing a radiant heat floor system is almost surely not a do-it-yourself project, but it merits elaboration because it's such a complete and effective way to use solar energy water heating.
Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016
A green lifestyle includes reusing resources. You can turn old and broken plates into creative works of art as tabletop mosaics. Choose a non-toxic, eco-friendly adhesive and grout (find them at www.greenbuildingsupply.com if your local hardware store can’t help) and do a green deed for yourself and the planet.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
If you're interested in green living, consider some of these options that let you go off-grid with small functions. You don't need to go off-grid with your entire home. You'll save on your power bill, plus enjoy some interesting independence and help save the environment, all in one. Taking your reading lamp off the grid: If you like to read, you can spend $50 to get a small, battery-charged light (LED) that works for four hours on a four-hour charge.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Off-grid solar PV systems are expensive, so find any means you can to reduce the energy requirements. Most off-grid houses use a wide range of energy resources, in sharp contrast to the typical all-electric suburban home. Solar hot water heaters are always good candidates because they're cheaper per kilowatt-hour than an off-grid photovoltaic system, and solar lighting systems are always wise.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Using the sun to purify drinking water is a great solar project for the do-it-yourselfer. A solar-powered purification system the size of a microwave oven can yield up to 3 gallons of purified drinking water on a sunny day. Here’s what you need for a basic solar powered water purifier like the one shown in the figure: Wooden or sheet metal enclosure Reflective material like aluminum foil Black paint, used for barbeque pits Sheet of glass Insulation (the white foam kind is fine) Glue (silicon sealant or similar weather-resistant material) Black tray that can absorb heat Catch trough and container for purified water A cross-section of a water purification system.
