Let DRB Construction determine what solar power can do for you.  A solar electric system uses the power of the sun to supply you with clean energy, saving or eliminating expensive utility bills.

For new construction solar energy will more that pay for itself during the first few years of ownership. For existing homes or businesses, you will be able to lower your monthly electric bills while increasing the value of your home!

Take advantage of rebates, tax credits and get a buyback from your electric company for excess electricity that your solar panels produce. For information about programs in your area, go to http://www.dsireusa.org.  DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.

DRB Construction will evaluate your situation and offer solutions which will assist you in the efficient and economical operation of your home or business.

Solar technologies. Many technologies have been developed to make use of solar radiation. Some of these technologies make direct use of the solar energy to provide light and heat, while others produce electricity.

Photovoltaics. The solar panels (photovoltaic arrays) have direct sunlight Solar cells, also referred to as photovoltaic cells, that use the photovoltaic effect of semiconductors to generate electricity directly from sunlight. Until recently, their use has been limited because of high manufacturing costs. One cost effective use has been in very low-power devices such as calculators with LCDs. Another use has been in remote applications such as roadside emergency telephones, remote sensing, cathodic protection of pipe lines, and limited "off grid" home power applications. A third use has been in powering orbiting satellites and spacecraft.

Solar Thermal systems can supplement Solar Electric systems. These systems will heat water which is directed to your boiler, hot water heater or separate storage tank. Several variations make for an enormous cost saving investment. Although there is maintenance involved, thermal is a high quality way to reduce reliance from fossil fuels. Presently, solar thermal is primarily used for commercial, industrial or large residential buildings with high usage.

Solar heating systems. Solar hot water systems use sunlight to heat water. They may be used to heat domestic hot water or for space heating. These systems are basically composed of solar thermal collectors and a storage tank. The three basic classifications of solar water heaters are:

1. Active systems which use pumps to circulate water or a heat transfer fluid.
2. Passive systems which circulate water or a heat transfer fluid by natural circulation. These are also called thermosiphon systems.
3. Batch systems using a tank directly heated by sunlight.

Solar lighting or daylighting is the use of natural light to provide illumination. Daylighting offsets energy use in electric lighting systems and reduces the cooling load on HVAC systems (this assumes that daylighting is replacing incandescent lighting, which produces more heat than light). The use of natural light also offers physiological and psychological benefits, although this is difficult to quantify.

Daylighting features include building orientation, window orientation, exterior shading, sawtooth roofs, clerestory windows, light shelves, skylights and light tubes. These features may be incorporated in existing structures but are most effective when integrated in a solar design package which accounts for factors such as glare, heat gain, heat loss and time-of-use. Achitectural trends increasingly recognize daylighting as a cornerstone of sustainable design.