Drake Landing Solar Community
Encyclopedia
The Drake Landing Solar Community (DLSC) is a planned community
in Okotoks, Alberta
, Canada
, equipped with a central solar heating
system and other energy efficient technology. This heating system is the first of its kind in North America, but much larger systems have been built in northern Europe. The 52 homes in the community collect solar energy in the summer and store it in an underground seasonal thermal store
for retrieval in the winter. It is billed as the first solar powered subdivision in North America
, although its electricity and transportation needs are serviced by conventional sources.
The system has been designed to help with the rising issues of global warming
and burning fossil fuels; the area was built in an attempt to dramatically decrease the climate pollution from the area. It has been reported that over five tonnes of greenhouse gases will be saved per home per year.
The solar energy is captured by 800 solar panels located on the roofs of the houses across all fifty-two houses.
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
in Okotoks, Alberta
Okotoks, Alberta
Okotoks is a town situated on the Sheep River, south of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The town is a member of the Calgary Regional Partnership, a cooperative of communities within the Calgary Region. Okotoks has become a popular bedroom community for the City of Calgary...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, equipped with a central solar heating
Central solar heating
Central solar heating is the provision of central heating and hot water from solar energy by a system in which the water is heated centrally by arrays of solar thermal collectors and distributed through district heating pipe networks .For block systems, the solar collectors are...
system and other energy efficient technology. This heating system is the first of its kind in North America, but much larger systems have been built in northern Europe. The 52 homes in the community collect solar energy in the summer and store it in an underground seasonal thermal store
Seasonal thermal store
A seasonal thermal store is a store designed to retain heat deposited during the hot summer months for use during colder winter weather...
for retrieval in the winter. It is billed as the first solar powered subdivision in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, although its electricity and transportation needs are serviced by conventional sources.
The system has been designed to help with the rising issues of global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
and burning fossil fuels; the area was built in an attempt to dramatically decrease the climate pollution from the area. It has been reported that over five tonnes of greenhouse gases will be saved per home per year.
The solar energy is captured by 800 solar panels located on the roofs of the houses across all fifty-two houses.
External links
- Drake Landing Solar Community Retrieved on September 30, 2009
- Drake Landing Solar Community: Workings Retrieved on September 30, 2009