Published in Linkedin 19 Feb 2025 by Anke Harris-Collins O.B.E.

I wrote in December about the Winter-Sun when the sun flooded our Ecohouse (built to Passivhaus standard) from top to bottom with bright and warm sun-light, we needed to put some jalousies down to protect the furniture from getting bleached. An incredible feeling in the winter to feel so warm being in the sun.
Our EcoHouse is positioned so that the main windows are on the south side, with an overhang on each floor. In the summer this overhang on the terraces shades the windows from the sun. In winter, as the sun is much lower, every bit of light and sun flood us with warmth. Our doors are open {only for a short while} to let the sun-warmed air come in, a joy to live in this house of the future. This really demonstrates the value of using straight-forward passive features to the optimum – positioning to make maximum use of the sun, fewer openings to the north, east and west, and high external insulation. Surrounded by trees, nature itself shares our home.

It is mid-February now, and I noticed in the house, the overhangs of our terraces are starting to protect us from the sun filling the house with ‘over’ bright light, so one does not have to lower a jalousie anymore to protect furniture or other things. Our Passivhaus Design is working, a great feeling!
How many luxury buildings have been built in Montenegro, facing the west or south side, wonderful, yes, but when it gets hot and no jalousie available? Too expensive to put up at the time? Curtains don’t work, as the heat has already come through the windows.
Change to a Passivhaus Design Style, it works!