This Home Energy Brief focuses on whole system design. The Brief covers the application of whole system design to a building envelope, building materials, and the cost and financing of whole system design. The Brief introduces the synergies that exist between thermal mass, windows, and other components of passive solar design. This process of working through whole system design can be applied to other projects.

As of 2012, the Home Energy Briefs have been updated and adapted to Southern California Edison’s Online Home Energy Guide.