UNIT ONE BEAUTY AND FUNCTION

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But there is a direct gain element in the passive system, too. The air in the greenhouse is—of course—also sun-heated ... and this warm, moist (and oxygenated by the plants) air can be introduced into the upstairs and downstairs by simply opening doors into those areas. Thus the Balcomb home is not only solar heated, but also has its own air filtration and humidification system. As Sara says, "It's a natural warmth. Many of the standard discomforts usually associated with winter are now things of the past: Cold feet, static electricity, dry skin, morning sore throat ... they've all disappeared."

STORING THE EXCESS

The majority of Unit One's solar-heating methods are totally passive, requiring no controls, no fuel, and no maintenance. But had the homes planners stopped at that point, much of the incoming energy would have been wasted. The fact is that—even on winter days—the greenhouse frequently draws in more energy than can be transmiffed through the wall ... and that's where Unit One's active solar system comes into play. Rather than just vent this excess heat to the outside, the modem adobe's designers added a storage system.

Beneath the building's living room, dining room, and kitchen lie two rock storage beds—one 2' X 10' X 19', and the other 2' X 10' X 15' — containing a total of 50 tons of three- to five-inch-diameter cobblestones. These heat storage areas are connected, by ducts, to the greenhouse. Whenever the solarium's air temperature rises more than five degrees above the temperature of the stones, air is forced down from the top of the greenhouse and into the rock beds ... by two fans located in the backs of the bedroom closets. Thus the Balcombs can enjoy 70°F floors—with the heat being transmitted through the six-inch slab by means of convection-as well as 80°F walls.

Unit One's primordial "batteries" also provide the dwelling with a heat storage capacity which can see the Balcombs through extended spells of inclement weather. And—while the home's two- to three-day storage capability doesn't match the staying power of a more expensive, totally active collector setup—Dr. Balcomb points out that a passive system is (in one way, at least) more efficient: Even on the snowiest Santa Fe day, Unit One's solar features are still absorbing same energy ... because dispersed sunlight is better than none at all. But the active collector unit that provides the Balcombs' domestic hot water supply requires more intense light to operate. (For example, there have been a number of days since Unit One's completion—in August of 1976—when there was a passive solar homeheat gain, while the water heater didn't receive enough sunlight to operate at all.)

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