Solar Access Laws :: Essays Papers

Solar Access Laws Brief History of Solar Access Ralph Knowles’ paper, â€Å"The Solar Envelope† further discusses the high priority given to structures that reflected the path of the sun in ancient civilizations. The Acoma Pueblo Settlement west of Albuquerque, New Mexico has been occupied by over one thousand years. In Acoma, buildings are arranged in rows oriented to the south at intervals down the hillside. The buildings collectively face south, toward warming rays of winter sun and away from heating east/west sun of summer. In the winter the low sun warms thick masonry walls that in turn warm interior rooms into the night. In the summer the sun passes overhead hitting (and reflecting off of) roofs and terraces. The Acoma houses are spaced to offer protection in summer by sharing sidewalls and so as not to shade one another in winter. Necessity of Solar Access Laws As societies have placed value on solar access for centuries, we are faced in a time of extreme exponential growth with the challenges of maintaining equal solar access for all. Equal Solar Access is important in two fundamental ways. The first is science based. Solar access saves energy. In 1988 the Tacoma Energy Office conducted the â€Å"Tacoma Solar Access and Economic Benefits Study† and found that solar lot orientation reduces energy use by between ten and twenty percent per single-family housing unit (Aalfs 1997). As in Acoma, the Tacoma energy office recognized the fundamental role the sun could play in efficient energy use and ultimately energy conservation. In Tacoma, energy savings were identified as the primary goal of solar access standards. In Tacoma they cited further that energy savings would be likely to go up in the future with the development of solar technologies and diminishing supplies of petroleum products. Individuals and businesses in both the private and public sectors must have equal opportunity to alternative energy systems that may use the infinite (at least until the sun super novas) supply of solar energy. It is necessary to maintain equal access for not only current energy savings but for alternative energy strategies in the future. Ultimately, the sun is integral to all life. Knowles states that it is the warmth, energy and rhythm of our lives. It â€Å"informs our perceptions of time and space and our scale in the universe.† Knowles goes as far as to say, â€Å"Without the assurance of solar access, we face uncertainty and disorientation.