What to Expect

The Crestone Solar Building Workshops introduce core principles of passive solar and natural building design. All workshops are taught by Paul Shippee, Director of the School and a pioneer in the field of solar building design.

Plan to absorb Paul’s 30 years of experience in the design and construction of solar homes, in a “solar laboratory” consisting of real-life examples to illustrate core principles. We take daily field trips to visit solar and natural homes in Crestone, hub of alternative building activity.

You will leave our workshops with skills to develop your own solar energy building projects, and with the confidence and skills to address nuanced solar building design problems. We create a cooperative and participatory learning environment that address the needs of our students.

Class size is limited and early registration is encouraged to reserve your place.

What Students Say

“I came away from the Crestone Solar School workshop held September 11-13, 2015 with a wealth of knowledge of how solar applications can be applied. Paul Shippee did an excellent job in sharing his expertise in the solar field. He was able to meet various levels of learning with ease. The home tours were very educational and it was generous of the homeowners to allow us to tour their homes and see a variety of solar applications.” – Cathy Jo Winter, Crestone, CO

 

“I really appreciated attention to my own solar home project. I will be able to apply all that I’ve learned to my project and future projects, and I will be able to make good choices about how to build.” – Donald H., Del Norte, CO

Curriculum

Crestone Solar School workshops are presented in two parts, balanced between (1) essential design knowledge and (2) learning-by-doing. These are enhanced by visual aids and solar home tours.

1. Essential Design Knowledge

•  Heat Transfer, Building Load Estimation Methods, Thermal Storage, Sun Angles, Solar Radiation Availability, Climate.
•  Energy Conservation techniques
•  Passive and active solar heating for residences
•  Solar domestic hot water
•  Solar radiant floor Design
•  Solar greenhouse
•  Straw bale construction details
•  Earth construction techniques
•  Introduction to Photovoltaics (PV)
•  Solar Economics including Tax Credits & Rebates
•  Adobe floor construction techniques
•  Earthen plasters and “alis” coatings
•  Rammed Earth for walls

2. Hands-on Projects will touch upon these subject:

•  Learning how to build a flat plate solar collector
•  Learning how to build a thermos-siphon solar water heater
•  Solar temperature measurement
•  Solar performance evaluation
•  Solar system components (piping, pumps, controls)
•  Adobe clay ingredients, recipes and mixtures
•  Adobe floor model construction
•  Straw bale construction methods
•  Earthen plasters for straw bale walls
•  Alternative Energy house tours
•  Design review for selected participants plans

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