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Right – this commercial building employs good techniques to resist solar heat gain: awnings and pergolas over windows, recessed windows and entryways, deep tinting on glass, and shade plants.

Right – this commercial building employs good techniques to resist solar heat gain: awnings and pergolas over windows, recessed windows and entryways, deep tinting on glass, and shade plants.
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Right – This home uses a light-colored exterior wall to reduce solar heat gain

Right – This home uses a light-colored exterior wall to reduce solar heat gain
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Right – This home uses a white roof and walls to reduce solar heat gain

Right – This home uses a white roof and walls to reduce solar heat gain
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Right – This home uses light tan stucco and white trim to reduce solar heat gain.

Right – This home uses light tan stucco and white trim to reduce solar heat gain.
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Right – This metal roof is being coated with a cool (high SRI) coating to reduce solar heat gain

Right – This metal roof is being coated with a cool (high SRI) coating to reduce solar heat gain
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Right – This model home for the Solar Decathlon competition incorporates vertical trellises and retractable exterior blinds to control solar heat gain.

Right – This model home for the Solar Decathlon competition incorporates vertical trellises and retractable exterior blinds to control solar heat gain.
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Right – This shrub has been pruned to allow views out the windows of this home while providing shade to walls, windows, and roof.

Right – This shrub has been pruned to allow views out the windows of this home while providing shade to walls, windows, and roof.
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Right – This tree shades walls, windows, roofs, and grounds for two adjacent homes.

Right – This tree shades walls, windows, roofs, and grounds for two adjacent homes.
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Right- Landscaping shades the entry on the south west corner of this hot dry climate building.

Right- Landscaping shades the entry on the south west corner of this hot dry climate building.
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Right: This house plan orients broad building surfaces away from the west and east, trees are used to shade the west and east, and large overhangs shade windows on the south wall

Right: This house plan orients broad building surfaces away from the west and east, trees are used to shade the west and east, and large overhangs shade windows on the south wall
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Seven categories of exterior window shading attachments, identified on the DOE Efficient Window Coverings website.

Seven categories of exterior window shading attachments, identified on the DOE Efficient Window Coverings website.
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Shade trees planted on the east or west sides of a house are one of the most effective measures that can be taken to reduce heat gains

Shade trees planted on the east or west sides of a house are one of the most effective measures that can be taken to reduce heat gains
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Sheer shades can provide very effective daylighting and glare control while maintaining a softened view to the outside

Sheer shades can provide very effective daylighting and glare control while maintaining a softened view to the outside
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Side by side comparisons of standard roofing colors (top row) and cool colors (bottom row) shows that solar reflectance (R) can be reduced significantly using special coatings with almost no change to the color

Side by side comparisons of standard roofing colors (top row) and cool colors (bottom row) shows that solar reflectance (R) can be reduced significantly using special coatings with almost no change to the color
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Skylight types – curb-mounted (left) and deck-mounted (right)

Skylight types – curb-mounted (left) and deck-mounted (right)
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Skylights can bring natural daylight to interior spaces.

Skylights can bring natural daylight to interior spaces.
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Small, battery-powered evaporative coolers can be appropriate for personal cooling in arid climates (only)

Small, battery-powered evaporative coolers can be appropriate for personal cooling in arid climates (only)
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Solar tubes are installed in the hallway to bring sunlight into the interior of the home.

Solar tubes are installed in the hallway to bring sunlight into the interior of the home.
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Solar tubes bring daylight into interior spaces in the home.

Solar tubes bring daylight into interior spaces in the home.
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Solar tubes pop up above the roof’s surface to draw sunlight into the home’s interior.

Solar tubes pop up above the roof’s surface to draw sunlight into the home’s interior.
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Solar-powered LED lights installed inside this sun tunnel (or solar tube) provides light at night alongside daylight provided by the sun tunnel during the day, thus reducing the need for electric light.

Solar-powered LED lights installed inside this sun tunnel (or solar tube) provides light at night alongside daylight provided by the sun tunnel during the day, thus reducing the need for electric light.
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Some whole-house fans are equipped with an automatic drop-down cover to provide an air seal at the ceiling level when the fan is not in use

Some whole-house fans are equipped with an automatic drop-down cover to provide an air seal at the ceiling level when the fan is not in use
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Some whole-house fans use an automatic insulated cover achieve high R-values when the fan is not in use

Some whole-house fans use an automatic insulated cover achieve high R-values when the fan is not in use
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Sources of heat gain in a house include solar gains, infiltration, conduction through walls and roof, occupants, and internal equipment

Sources of heat gain in a house include solar gains, infiltration, conduction through walls and roof, occupants, and internal equipment