Passive Solar Energy in a Hot Climate.

If you live in a hot climate you'll use different passive solar principles than if you live in a cool climate.

Here are some hot climate passive solar principles that'll keep your home cool and comfortable year round.

Combine passive solar techniques with some energy saving tips and you can reduce your energy bill by more than half...permanently.

In a hot climate, passive solar energy principles revolve around providing an abundance of shade on the hottest sides of your abode. Here are some simple techniques to help you create a cool oasis around your house using foliage, roof overhangs and building materials that discourage overheating.


When building or making renovations to your home, pay close attention to the sun's inclination during the different seasons and plan around keeping the sun away from your living area during the hottest seasons of the year. At the same time create openings and breezeways that welcome natural breezes to wend through the living space.

Outdoor living spaces should be mainly on the shady side of the house with the placement of trees, trellises, pergolas and potted plants to keep the area shady.

Extend your living area by creating a patio on the least sunny side of the house (north in the northern hemisphere and south in the southern hemisphere)


A sunny patio area on the east side of the house provides an early morning coffee and breakfast area in which to enjoy the sun before it begins it's scorching ascent. Lots of potted foliage can shade east windows while creating an entrancing ambience.

When building or renovating a house passive solar principles range from minor to major undertakings. Even minor changes like adding foliage or awnings to the hottest sides of the house can make a noticeable difference in your energy expenses and your comfort level.

This page will focus mainly on techniques for climates where the weather is hot in summer and moderate in winter. For cool climate passive solar energy tips go here.

OK, Lets get started. Here's a list of some of our favorite passive solar energy principles.

• Insulation ~

  When building or making renovations ensure that all areas that allow air exchange between the interior of your home and the the great outdoors are insulated heavily. This includes floors, ceiling or attic, walls, around electrical outlets, windows, dryer vents... you get the idea. Keeping the air temperature comfortable is easier than making it comfortable.




• Orientation of your home ~

  In hot climates the idea is to prevent the intrusion of heat into your house. Plan for your house to have it's back to the sun during the hottest part of the day. Outdoor living space should exist mostly on the shady side of the house.




• Windows & Doorways ~

  Glass doors and windows allow the sun to shine into the interior of a home and trap heat inside making it almost impossible to keep the space cool. Keep doors and windows on the sunny sides of your home at a minimum and/or covered with a deep veranda that keeps the immediate space around the openings cool. Plan to have your outdoor living space on the least sunny side of your home and the majority of windows ,doorways and garden doors should be planned to open onto this side of the home.




• Verandas ~

  Deep covered verandas on the sunniest sides of the dwelling keep the area immediately surrounding the house nice and cool.




• Awnings ~

  Awnings shade the window when the sun is overhead and keeps unwanted heat from entering through windows. Not as effective as a veranda or pergola at keeping the area cool an awning for the ease and price of installation will nonetheless make a noticeable difference.




• Angled Glass & Skylights ~

  Avoid them if you can. It's difficult to control the sun coming in through glass that slopes back and skylights.




• High Ceilings ~

  High ceilings allow the hottest air to rise above your living space, and they're beautiful too!




• Ventilation ~

  A huge asset in hot climates is ventilation. Solar power gable or roof vents, ceiling fans, window and door openings. Use as many ventilation methods as possible.




• Insulated Window Coverings ~

  In places where you can't use plantings or overhangs, insulated window coverings (drapes, blinds or shutters) will keep the heat out.




• Outdoor Living Space ~

  In hot climates plan outdoor patios and garden areas on the shady side of the house (North on the north side of the equator and south on the south side). Establishing an outdoor cooking facility keeps the house from becoming uncomfortably warm while cooking the evening meal.




• Leafy Plantings ~

  Not just a pretty face, strategicaly placed trees, shrubs, potted plants, trellises, pergolas and arbors provide cool shade in hot areas and are relatively easy to add to a passive solar energy design.




• Ultra Cool Flooring Material ~

  Bare floors composed of marble, stone or ceramic tile stay cooler than wall to wall carpeting. During cooler seasons scatter a few rugs in well used areas.

If you're building a new house consider incorporating passive solar energy principles into the design. In a hot climate it'll be much easier to keep your home at a comfortable and stable temperature if you prevent direct sunlight from intruding. Create shady areas using roofs, pergolas, trellises, potted plants trees and shrubs. Combine these with insulation to provide a cool oasis on sultry days.