It is only recently that technology has seduced us away from the sun, promising electrical light available whenever we want, and plenty of heat, from those supplies of fossil fuels that will supposedly never be consumed. However, we know that those fuel sources will run out eventually, and relying upon them has us working against Nature, instead of with it. Utilizing Solar Energy is one of the easiest changes we can make, which will also have a profound effect on the rest of our precious resources. Passive Solar refers to the use of the Sun's energy for heating a structure, or a water supply. In the simplest of terms, it is allowing sunlight into the house, through windows, to warm it.
Collection is basically the intake of sunlight into the home.
This is done through energy-efficient windows, which face the Sun as it travels its arc across the sky. In order for the collection process to be most efficient, planning is crucial at this point. Obviously, if none of your windows ever face the Sun, it will be hard to collect the light and energy. That is why site selection and planning are so important. As a general rule of thumb, a south-facing window will get good sunlight most of the day long.