New Mexico Passive Solar Home Temperature Survey

It's a great, but little known design aid for any passive solar builder in New Mexico, Colorado, West Texas, Utah or Arizona. The New Mexico Passive Solar Home Temperature Survey appeared in March of 1987. It was compiled by Jack Whittier, Roger Farrer and Martin Selinfreund for the then existent New Mexico Solar Energy Institute, at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. Today, that entity is gone, and so are copies of the Survey- that is, until now.

The New Mexico Passive Solar Home Temperature Survey came out at the "tail end" of funded research resulting from the energy crisis of '73/74. By 1987, energy concerns were "perceived" as being over in the U.S. Printing budgets for solar research results were being cut back, and distribution was weak. Regretfully, not many copies of this valuable book made it into the hands of Southwestern designers and builders.

Long out of print, SWSA is making the New Mexico Passive Solar Home Temperature Survey available again, as interest in all types of solar returns. This work documents the performance of 30 actual passive solar homes that had been built (by 1987) throughout a variety of New Mexico climate zones from Taos to Las Cruces and from Carlsbad to Farmington. They range in size from 750 sq. ft. to 3600 sq. ft. of heated area. Shown is the performance of each structure, a simple floor plan, elevation, specifications, house section, owner's comments, etc. Wall types include Adobe, wood frame, and concrete block. Passive solar applications include Direct Gain, Trombe Wall and Sunspace (greenhouse). The dwellers participating in the survey measured the temperature swings within their homes, following a schedule and using max./min. thermometers provided by NM State. The reader can pick and choose effective solar methods (and avoid mistakes) by learning from the experiences of those who did the building and living. 151 8 ½" x 11" B&W pages with charts, house sections, photos, floor plans, etc.

Sale price for U.S. buyers is $34 from this site.
(Price includes priority mail to you and all applicable taxes.)