This is the design process we used to m

2. HMW Questions
 Started out with How Might We
questions:
 How might we make sure we have the
most efficient heating system?
 How might we include the five elements
of passive solar heating into our house?
 How might we make sure we have the
best insulation to retain the heat?
 How might we make sure the sunlight is
not wasted?
 How might we keep the heat collected
for the most time?

3. HMW Questions &
Brainstorming
 Questions helped us
make most efficient
house.
 Get the most heat
overnight with minimal
effort.
 Then brainstormed
ideas of house designs.

4. Our Final Choice
 After brainstorming ideas and HMW’s, we picked our
final design choice.
Our winning design used a dome
roof and insulation in the walls.

5. Prototyping Begins
 We started out with a cardboard
box and cut a hole in the top for
light to get in.
 Then we added spray-foam on
corners and inside large black pipe
as insulation.
 The pipe would also absorb lots of
heat.

6. Prototyping Continued
 Next we spray painted
the floor black (sadly,
not pictured)
 Then put a clear dome
on the top to let light in.

7. Prototyping Continued
 Near the end of the
project we realized we
had no insulation on the
outside.
 So we added strips of
foam in the larger
cracks.

8. Final Phases of
Prototyping
 In order to have a warmer house, we added a
thermal mass, in our case, rocks.
The stones inside the house act
as the thermal mass. They
absorb heat throughout the day
and release it at night.

9. The True Test
 We set the house
outside and waited for
the temp. reading.
 Unfortunately, Seattle
weather is not very
warm, so the house did
not reach the desired
temp. of 60 degrees.

10. The End of Solar Houses
 The project is now finished, and the houses have
been deemed operable.
 To read more about the different concepts in our
group’s house, you can go to their blogs.