Solar houses for the Northern climate

The energy used in buildings and their production accounts for a fairly large proportion (36%) of the total primary energy consumption in Finland. The same is true of energy production emissions. The potential for saving energy is significant. The need for heating energy in buildings reaches its peak in mid-winter when solar radiation is at its lowest. North from the Polar Circle there is no sunshine in the mid-winter. Even so, solar energy is the most important source on the way towards zero energy houses in the North. The Building Physics group at VTT's Building Materials Laboratory has been actively searching for solutions to reduce building's energy use including new applications to utilise solar energy in buildings.