A CANADIAN SUNSHINE SHOWCASE

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Orillia, Ontario design architect Peter Fluker used ol' Sol in style when he constructed . . .

As "alternative" sources of energy have become more widely accepted, passively heated and cooled houses have received plenty of attention, and for several good reasons: They're often elementary in design and function, generally require a minimum of maintenance, and depend very little (if at all!) on the more conventional energy sources.

And, partly as a result of the fact that a "sun powered" structure is its own heating and cooling "system", most passive dwellings represent a fine balance between cost effectiveness and the aesthetic appeal of building a home that complements its natural surroundings.

STRIVING FOR BALANCE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

The Peter Fluker residence, located 90 miles north of Toronto in Canada's Ontario province, provides a fine example of the favorable blend of comfortable, attractive living space with energy efficiency. Because "only" two-thirds of the building's heating requirements are taken care of by the sun (in a climate that experiences 8,500 heating degree-days annually), it can't be considered completely solar self-sufficient, but then few naturally tempered homes are as yet . . . and this "shortcoming" is certainly compensated for by the outdoor-like atmosphere of the structure.

In planning his family home, you see, Fluker—a design architect by profession—strongly felt that the dwelling should embody the concept that people and their residences ought to be integral parts of, rather than intrusions into, the surrounding environment.

To accomplish this, Peter spent a good deal of time studying the local terrain and designing the building so that each feature represents a response to its surroundings. By taking advantage of the site's physical char acteristics, then, he was able to let the land do its share in making his home a functional success.

The house's several-acre lot is well isolated from the road by a generous stand of deciduous trees growing on a gentle southfacing slope. This foliage provides shading in the summer season, yet is developed enough to allow any breeze to reach the structure by passing beneath its umbrella of leaves.