Sunroom Photovoltaic Solar Outdoor On-site Energy

During the day when the sun is shining, you can open the drapes to capture the radiant heating. When the sun goes down, close the drapes to maintain that warm solar gain. You can heat your sunroom with solar energy in the winter depending on the positioning of the room.

If its primary function will be heating, a sunspace with sloped glazing, few plants, little thermal mass, and insulated, unglazed end walls will get very hot on sunny winter days. In practice, sunspaces are rarely built to serve only as heaters, because there are less expensive ways to provide solar heat.

In practice, sunspaces are rarely built to serve only as heaters, because there are less expensive ways to provide solar heat. If the space will be a greenhouse, plants need fresh air, water, lots of light, and protection from extreme temperatures. Greenhouses consume

Operable vents at the top of the sunspace where temperatures are the highest and at the bottom where temperatures are the lowest can circulate warm air into the house. They can be operated manually or with thermostatically controlled motors that open and close them automatically.

Sunspaces serve three main functions -- they are a source of auxiliary heat, they provide space to grow plants, and they are pleasant living areas. The design considerations for these functions are very different, and building a sunspace that will serve all three functions requires compromises.