The NC Solar Center provides residential design review services to builders, architects, designers, owners and others involved in the building of a single-family or duplex home located in North Carolina. The two main goals of these reviews are as follows:

• To provide hands-on-training in the area of energy efficient/renewable energy design of professionals in the homebuilding industry who will replicate the knowledge gained in future buildings
  
• To increase the amount of professional knowledge and healthy housing stock that includes passive and active sustainable design principles, including energy efficiency, passive solar, active solar, healthy construction, low maintenance and thoughtful resource use in building materials, water and land.

The content of these reviews is determined by the needs of the professional or homeowner and may include guidance concerning:

• Orientation and taking advantage of the sun
  
• Building passive solar homes including rule-of-thumb calculations for the quantity of glazing and thermal mass needed for different types of passive collection systems; design of night insulation for wall openings
  
• Sizing of building overhangs and different types of fixed, mobile and seasonal designs
  
• Energy efficiency in site design, building design, materials, air sealing, heating and cooling systems, appliances, lighting, etc.
  
• Solar hot water system design for both domestic and space heating purposes as well as pool heating
  
• Photovoltaic (solar electric) design for emergency and back-up systems
  
• Mechanical, electrical, water, energy rater and other professional references
  
• Sustainable building principals in materials, indoor air quality, site selection , water use, maintenance, etc.

Qualified staff can help you make your client's home more energy-efficient while making the best use of the sun as a fuel source in any stage of the development of your residential plans. The more information you can provide, the more in-depth assistance you’ll receive. The Center’s Design Review staff would like to see the following items provided for a review:

• site plan
  
• floor plan(s)
  
• elevation(s)
  
• building section

However, if you have your own sketch of a plan or have seen another plan that you would like adapted for solar design, then also feel free to make an appointment with the Center's Design Review staff. We look forward to helping you make your move into the world of sustainable design!