Rick Soltis’ parents built a passive solar house outside of Holdingford in 1983. Located about twenty miles northwest of St. Cloud, his home relies on windows, walls, and floors to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer.
Rick’s parents wanted to construct as sustainable a house as possible for their retirement home, and after inheriting the home, Rick now plans to spend his retirement there. This environmentally friendly style dramatically reduces energy bills. Extremely well insulated, this home boasts five different heating methods and a thermostat in every room. A rock pit underneath the year-round greenhouse both heats and cools the house. The solar heating system remains unused, as the house generates enough heat already. A propane furnace serves as a backup. Rick’s property includes a forest, which provides natural fuel and protection from the wind. He hauls logs to his wood room, just four feet from his fireplace. Thanks to a removable roof, the wood never enters the house. After installing an efficient wood block, the house requires only two cords of wood for heating.
The main drawback is the lack of sunlight, due to minimal windows on three sides. However, the house looks good and has never suffered from moisture or mold. Location is crucial: Rick asserts that “if I was building another one of these, I’d find the proper site to build it on.” Sheltered by trees and perched at the right height and slope, his house evades rain from most directions. Expansion is tricky, but Rick would prefer a larger master bathroom. He would also install a steel roof to prevent snow problems and substitute brick for siding to minimize maintenance. Overall, Rick loves his retirement home!
Learn more about one home and another in Minnesota using passive solar.
Home pictured above is a passive solar farmhouse in Esko, MN. Credit: Martin Holladay.
