Build It Solar Site Map

Note -- this site map has gotten a little bit out of date -- I have it on my todo list to update it.  If you don't find what you want here, try the "search", or send me an email.

 

Plans, tools, and information to help you build solar projects that save money and reduce pollution

 

 

Home Page -- New and seasonal stuff -- Announcements

 

Add A Project -- Add or suggest a new project for Build It Solar

 

Getting Started -- How to choose high payback energy saving projects

Getting Started -- How to choose high payback energy saving projects
Why Solar? -- a little material on the benefits of solar energy

Solar Site Survey -- IMPORTANT -- do this before you spend money on a solar project

 

Projects -- this is the heart of the site -- over 500 free solar projects you can build

Energy Conservation

Energy Conservation Sites

Insulating and Weatherizing

Insulating Window Treatments

Electric Mattress Pad for setback

The Power Hogs

Energy Efficient Appliances

Phantom Loads

Lighting and Daylighting

Hot water recirculation systems

Gray Water Heat Exchanger

Use less stuff

Landscaping for Energy Efficiency

Human Power

Other Conservation Related

"I Did It" Conservation and Renovation Stories

Water (catching it, saving it, treating it, using less of it, and reusing it)

 

Solar Homes -- Much material on building solar homes

Design Guides -- The best books, papers and software on how to design a solar home

Home Plans & Design Examples 

Construction Types -- Details on many construction types -- conventional to cutting edge

"I Did It" -- Descriptions of solar home projects from the people who live in them

Solar Thermal (heating)

Solar Space Heating -- Much material on all types of solar space heating

Solar Water Heating -- All types -- simple to complex -- solar showers

Sunspaces & Greenhouses -- For solar heating, living space, and plant growing

Solar Pool Heating -- Building and installing solar pool heaters

Passive Cooling -- Passive and efficient active techniques for cooling  -- lots of material

 

Solar Electric

PV -- Solar electric from small and simple to large and expensive

Wind -- Designing and installing wind turbines for electric power

Micro Hydro -- Designing and installing small hydro systems for electric power

Bio Fuels

Making fuel: BioDiesel, Veggie Oil, Ethanol, Wood Gas

Bio Fuels: Methane, Wood, Corn as fuel
Heat From Compost

Solar Cooking and Food Preservation

Solar Cookers and Ovens

Solar Food Drying

Root Cellar

Solar Stills For Water Purification

 

Efficient and Natural Lighting

 

Water Pumping

PV Water Pumping

Ram and Spiral Pumps

Windmill Pumps (mechanical)

Frugal Project -- inexpensive projects with short paybacks

 

Solar, Green and Efficient Vehicles

Solar and Electric Bicycles, Scooters and LEV's

Solar vehicles and efficient vehicles

Electric Car Conversions

Gas Powered Scooters

Efficient/Green  Car Reference Sites

Efficient/Green Cars You Can Buy Now

Concept Cars and Prototypes

Commercial Vehicles

Modifications for greater Efficiency

X-Prize Cars

Solar vehicles and efficient vehicles

Solar vehicles and efficient vehicles

Mobile Workshops

Solar Tractors and Mowers

Solar Wood Drying -- solar wood drying kilns

 

Concentrating Solar Collectors

 

Interesting/Unusual Projects

 

Solar Projects for Kids

 

Half -- A program to cut  energy use and Greenhouse Gas emissions in half -- including 3 Home Power articles

Why? 

Overall Progress

The Top Eight Projects

The Energy Saving Projects

Conservation  Projects

Transportation Projects

Solar Projects

Planning Your Own 1/2 Program

Things We Learned

 

Reference Material -- tons of information for designing and building solar projects

All Around Solar References -- News, Periodicals, Reference sites, Environment, Solar Associations

 

Solar Analysis

Solar Engineering Books and References

Sun charts, Sun Position, Collector Aiming

Climatic and Solar Radiation Data

Wind Resources

Designing Overhangs

Window Analysis and Selection

Green House Gas Calculators

Plumbing, Pipes and Pumps

Ducts, Fans, HVAC

Electrical, Wire, Motors

Heat Transfer Analysis

Fuel Energy Content and Energy Conversion

Solar Collector Design, Ratings, and Certification

Heat Exchanger Design

Measuring Collector Output and Efficiency

Measurements and Instruments

Solar Program Source Code

 

Calculators

Insulation Upgrade

Home Heat Loss Calculator

Solar Collector Efficiency Calculator

Material Properties

Glazing, Plastics, Pipe, Insulation

 

Appliance Energy Information

 

Government Renewable Energy Incentive Programs

 

Solar Suppliers -- Suppliers for building solar projects

Wide line of solar components and systems

Wide variety industrial suppliers

Glazing

Reflector Film
Batch or ICS (Integral Storage Collector) water heaters
Thermosyphon Water Heaters
Evacuated Tube Collectors

Flat Plate Collectors-Water

Flat Plate Collectors-Air

Selective Surfaces

Radiant Heating

Thermal Storage (tanks, liners, heat and coolth storage devices)

Solar Water Heating

Pumps and PV Pumping

Heat Exchangers

Controls

PV components

Greenhouse and Sunspace

HVAC Components

Insulation (including pipe insulation)

Micro Hydro

Conservation

Instrumentation

Solar Lights
Wind Turbines

Experimental --Ideas that look promising (or at least interesting).

Solar Inventor Resources

Backyard Inventor Projects

Interesting new Projects

Interesting new Products

Some Small Test Results

Questions -- Getting your questions answered

 

About Me

 

Copyright Notice

 

What does "Non-Commercial" site mean?

 

Legal Disclaimer