103
Arkin-Tilt Architects,
Eastern Sierra Residence, Gardnerville,
Nevada, United States
Passive and active technologies come
together to create an energy-effi cient and
environmentally responsive home in a hot,
arid climate with cold winter winds, east of
the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. In this
region of the United States, which on average
sees over three hundred sunny days a year,
solar energy is ideal. On the south side of
the house, an angled row of seven collector
panels carry a heat-absorbing fl uid to a heat
exchanger. e tubes then form loops in sand
beds under the fl oor plate of the home to
warm the interior space through radiation.
No fossil fuels are required.
104 Sustainable Environments
Above Integrated photovoltaic laminates
are installed on the sloped standing seam
metal roof to provide electricity for the
house. Additionally, rows of photovoltaic
cells form a shaded pergola for the terrace.
e support brackets are adjustable, so the
panels may be rotated to catch seasonal
sun angles and help shed the build-up of
snow. e photovoltaic system is linked
to a grid intertie inverter, which connects
the system to the utility grid and returns
power it to when the house generates a
surplus.
1 solar hot water collectors
2 heat exchange for domestic hot water
3 thermal storage sand bed
4 night fl ush cooling
5 high clerestory ventilation
6 passive solar heat gain
7 glass fl oor tiles for daylight
8 PV array shades trellis
9 roof-integrated PV laminates
10 trombe wall warms batteries
11 inverters connect to grid
12 greenhouse adds humidity
1
6
6
12
7
8
10
3
11
9
5
7
2
4
105
Left e center of the complex—compris-
ing the house, attached guestroom, garage,
and storage area—shelters a terrace whose
small pond provides some relief from the dry
environment. A trombe wall, backdrop for
the pond, heats the storage area and prevents
the batteries for the backup power system
from freezing during the winter. e panels
of the trombe wall are made of salvaged glass,
overlapped in rows like shingles.
Alternative Energy Sources
106 Sustainable Environments
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