Unit One: A Solar Adobe Home

By The Mother Earth News Editors
Published on September 1, 1979
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The south and west walls of the Balcomb's solar adobe home. A full 80% of Unit One's heating and cooling comes directly from the sun.
The south and west walls of the Balcomb's solar adobe home. A full 80% of Unit One's heating and cooling comes directly from the sun.
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This sun room/greenhouse provides most of the home's heating.
This sun room/greenhouse provides most of the home's heating.
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A beautifully crafted balcony overlooks the sun room. 
A beautifully crafted balcony overlooks the sun room. 
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This attractive spiral staircase shows the attention of detail put into the house. 
This attractive spiral staircase shows the attention of detail put into the house. 
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Diagram shows floor plan and convection patterns of the house.
Diagram shows floor plan and convection patterns of the house.

The city of Santa Fe, New Mexico–nestled against
the treeline in the cool, dry foothills of the Sangre de
Cristo Mountains–just has to be one of the best
places in this country to make use of solar energy.
Blessed with abundant sunshine–and a relatively low

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