MREA - Midwest ReNewable Energy Association Passive Solar Heating
ReNew the Earth Institute
Midwest ReNewable Energy Association
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MREA - Midwest ReNewable Energy Association On this photo of the ReNew the Earth Institute, you can see the effect of good passive solar design by looking closely at the south-facing windows to right and left of the front door.

This photo is taken in mid-summer, and the entire glass from top to bottom is in the shade.

The upper windows unfortunately are not at all shaded, and there are many skylights- they tend to loose heat in the winter and gain heat in the summer - two things you usually try to avoid with a passive solar design.

MREA - Midwest ReNewable Energy Association





The overhang shades the lower windows

MREA - Midwest ReNewable Energy Association




The view looking south from inside the conference room is completely glare-free in the summer.

The shafts of direct sunlight on the table are from skylights







Sun Goddess and Sundial

ReNew the Earth Institute
Midwest ReNewable Energy Association

MREA - Midwest ReNewable Energy Association






Visitors can gather in the seating area on the front porch to enjoy the sculpture and sundial.

MREA - Midwest ReNewable Energy Association




Spell of the Sun Goddess is a creation of artist Dean Antilla, Way-Outsider-Art, Pepin WI.

Made out of recycled materials, Spell of the Sun Goddess is inscribed with the names of the generous donors who helped to fund the purchase of the ReNew the Earth Institute.

MREA - Midwest ReNewable Energy Association




The sculpture rotates in the wind sending its spell in the four directions. The Goddess represents the power of the sun, wind, and water.

MREA - Midwest ReNewable Energy Association




This is an Analemmatic Sundial. It is calibrated for the lattitude and the time of year.







Credits

ReNew the Earth Institute
Midwest ReNewable Energy Association

Virtual Tour Funding: Focus On Energy

Site content development, photos and editing: Ron Wroblewski, Productive Energy Solutions, LLC

Web Site development and Ipix:Innovative Media Corporation

Special thanks to the MREA staff for initiating this project

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