Buy used:
$9.51
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery May 22 - 28 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery May 20 - 23
Used: Acceptable | Details
Sold by -OnTimeBooks-
Fulfilled by Amazon
Condition: Used: Acceptable
Comment: Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime.

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Learn more about the program.

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Edward Mazria
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Passive Solar Energy Book: A Complete Guide to Passive Solar Home, Greenhouse and Building Design Paperback – January 1, 1979

by Edward Mazria (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 66 ratings
See all formats and editions
Provides comprehensive information on the design and application of passive solar-energy systems and assesses twenty-seven design patterns that offset a variety of factors influencing the effectiveness of solar heating
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    448 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Rodale Pr
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1979
  5. Grade level
    7 - 9
  6. ISBN-10
    0878572376
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0878572373
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rodale Pr; First Edition (January 1, 1979)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0878572376
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0878572373
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 66 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Edward Mazria

Edward Mazria

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
66 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Sticky Wick
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource but Shouldn't be True North
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
I love this resource even after 20 years, but it's been my experience in practice that I rarely get to employ these strategies for a number of reasons. I used to think MEP engineers would factor these kind of considerations into their design, but virtually none do for commercial buildings. Therefore, it was of no real benefit in first cost to try to employ too many passive strategies. Why is that relevant to this book review?

If you're an architect and plan on doing commercial work, none of this will apply unless you can find consultants who like to work as a team to see the very best environments built. Even then, not all of these strategies are supported by LEED requirements so you may feel yourself banging your head against the wall to use this resource.

There's nothing wrong with this resource. This resource is fantastic for a home designer, but there's one more limiting factor.... Clients. You can encourage your client to employ great strategies, but if their heart isn't in it, you'll soon face the familiar feeling of a tree falling in the forest with no one around.

Great, worthy, excellent resource. Tough reality is everything fights against you using this knowledge to make great environments.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Bob Borst
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Passive Solar Book Ever
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2011
Verified Purchase
As everyone else has indicated, this is by far the best passive solar design book in our library. It contains all the information necessary to properly design a solar passive house. The only negative is that it is 1979 Copyright, out of print, and may therefore be hard to acquire. The best current book that we have is by Daniel D. Chiras, "The Solar House". James Kachadorian's "The Passive Solar House" is also an excellent current book in terms of the excellent engineering information provided although some of the slab construction recommendations may be somewhat dated and not in line with current best practice. The worst book we have encountered was Debra Coleman's "Sun Inspired House". This book is merely an advertisement of the plans she sells and we would definitely advise applying due diligence if considering to do business with her. For those interested in doing passive solar design, we added some calculators to our website that you can find by Googling Borst Engineering & Construction LLC.
14 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Max Power
5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you need to know about passive solar
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2010
Verified Purchase
I paid about $10 for mine used.

This book has everything you need to know about passive solar. It's well organized. It has detailed examples and illustrations (all black and white, but easy to read). 99% of the material is still relevant today, 30 years after the publishing date. Its amazing to me this information has been around for 30 years and still not put to use. If you are building a green house, you need this book. If you want to lower your heating bill, you need this book. If you want to build a green building you need this book. This book does not have actual building code though, like how many 2x4's you need for a sod roof, but it has detailed sun charts, latitudes, longitudes, thermal conduction of various materials, insulation rating of various materials, real world examples, and much more.
13 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
shemayah phillips
4.0 out of 5 stars Someone not afraid to do hands on planning and building will like it. It's not so much a 'hippie book
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2017
Verified Purchase
I had this book years ago, and got to missing it as I plan some new projects. I bought it back in the days of Rodale Press' "New Shelter" magazine (I miss those very much now.) So is it still valid? Yes, because much of it hard science and facts and sufficiently illustrated with tables, diagrams, maps.Same sun. Someone not afraid to do hands on planning and building will like it. It's not so much a 'hippie book.' If you have use standard architectural guides as a designer or draftsman, etc. back in the day as I have, it will reach you.

This edition as far as I can tell, is the same from the 80s except the original had a pocket in the back board of the book with transparencies to make measurements by sight (for your site). Now I believe they are within the book toward the center. I guess you could still make them into transparencies with a scanner or copy machine (with tsp sheets--if there still available!). Once upon a time people didn't have as much access to such.

I have a neighbor who built a semi-tiny home with solar panels mounted. I wish he might have consulted this old book or similar (and had not put the gear under trees???)
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
David Lark
5.0 out of 5 stars Best available book on the subject?
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book is for designers, not consumers, and is probably the best book still available for that audience.

Note that high thermal mass designs with solar gain have fallen out of favor, being displaced by highly insulated and well-sealed buildings. However, passive solar is still applicable in natural building contexts. I see it as a matter of aesthetics, as not everyone wants to live in a hermetically sealed spaceship.

The e-commerce pledge: To improve the reliability of online reviews, I will post a review of every product or service of significance I purchase, and update the review should my opinion change.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Benn Pamphleteer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic.
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2010
Verified Purchase
Passive solar technology has changed little since the first edition of this book was published in the 70's and Mazria is the man.
You can, and should, design your next house using the principles and calculations in this book. Everything you need to know is explained, and anyone who got a C or better in high School algebra can do the math. It's an empowering book, and a great dream piece. It's testimony to the folly of our age that, 30+ years after the publication of this book, we're not all living in houses designed according to its principles.
you still have time.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars great book, simply explained
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
I referred to this book early in my career and it formed an inspiration to achieve as small of a carbon foot print as I could throughout my life . It instilled a great appreciation for energy efficiency which steered me toward a career as an environmental engineer. great to finally have my own copy!
Report
Guillaume Beaudet-Laberge
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on August 21, 2015
Verified Purchase
Good
One person found this helpful
 Report
Thanisorn Devapalin
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 23, 2015
Verified Purchase
Very nice book with cheap price
Report