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Re: Overhangs



Ken Fischer <kfischer@iglou.iglou.com> wrote:
 
>         It is possible to place an overhang above south facing
>passive collectors so that the natural position of the Sun in
>summer does not let _any_ sun in.

Adaptable overhangs seem nice, since a fixed overhang that admits the
low-angle sun in April and May will also admit the low-angle sun in
August and September, when extra heat is unwanted.

An excellent $5 book about solar overhangs is _Sun Angles for Design_, 
published by Robert Bennett/6 Snowden Road/Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. 
Mr. Bennett is a Registered Architect and Professional Engineer (with
a degree in space physics :-) and a former National Coordinator of the
American Section of the International Solar Energy Society. I believe
he now lives in Virginia.

Closable vents also help in the summer, as do deciduous trees, trumpet vines,
automatic insulated garage doors, clematis, runner beans or grapes. Vine-wise,
twiners are less damaging and more controllable than clingers. Perhaps grape
pruning and harvesting would be easier with a movable rope trellis over the
glazing, suspended from a board at the top which is in turn suspended from
an eave by a couple of ropes and pulleys.  

Nick


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