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Solar Option initially had a single product, the SUNGOLA® solar optimised pergola (re-designated passive sun control). Later joined by the Solar Access Composite Image (SACI), to show the solar access for the whole year, specific to your building/location.

In development are the; SWH Expander to increase hot water collector area for winter only input, and ValliGard to reduce the possibility of fire or water damage due to leaf/twig build-up.

©2012 Solar Option

The period around Christmas and New Year is always a time when deliveries/installs can be disrupted due to the numbers. Don't leave enquiries until then.

Passive Sun Control.

• Prevent direct solar heating of adjacent rooms during summer.
• Solar heating and lighting of adjacent rooms during winter.
• Outdoor entertainment area, year around.
• Self regulating shade, from 20% in winter to 100% in summer (designed to alter with the Sun path).
• Reduced rain beneath covered area.
• No moving parts to wear or fail.
• No operational requirement/cost.

The SUNGOLA was designed to control the year around effect of the sun on comfort inside the home, and also create an outdoor entertainment area. The main criteria being to provide maximum shade during the hotter months, whilst also permitting maximum sun (light/heat) penetration during the coldest months.

The worst time of year to make a decision about which type of shade to install is during summer when the need is greatest, as the overall impulse is to get the maximum shade installed as quickly as possible. Then when winter rolls around you wonder where all the natural sunlight/heat has gone, and why you now need to use artificial lighting in the house during the day (when you never did previously).

The more objective time to decide is during winter or spring when you have time to evaluate the options, and choose which will suit you best throughout the year, as its impact/effect on lifestyle will be felt for years to come.

Preventing direct summer sun from reaching the windows is far more cost effective than trying to remove the heat from inside the building, after it has passed through the glass.

     Summer shade                  Winter sunlight

At the opposite end of the year, allowing penetration of winter sun into the building is the most cost effective form of heating and lighting. For maximum benefit replace North facing eaves with a SUNGOLA. Tuscan style houses benefit most as they normally have no eaves. Can be equally effective on the East and West sides, though is more dependant on depth (and height) due to low sun angles early and late in the day.

Due to the low sun angle throughout winter (and low angle of the shade elements), direct and reflected light can penetrate far into rooms, to reduce the need for lighting (as well as heating). The health benefit of natural sunlight and heating during winter is greatly under appreciated.

No other (fixed element) shade product provides the same extremes of shade, optimised for both the Summer and Winter solstices. As timber is not structurally capable of the same extent of optimisation (possibility of warping), the SUNGOLA is only available in colourbond steel, or powdercoated aluminium. Which allows integrated guttering to reduce rain penetration, that timber alone could not normally incorporate.

Any fixed shade product will require the addition of clear plastic sheeting to provide total rain protection, requiring a heavier structure to cater for wind loading of the 'solid' surface. The Sungola has optional removable inserts which can easily be added as needed (and removed for improved ventilation). They also act as a safety valve during high winds (if left in place).

As with any solar product, orientation is critical to functionality. Within 10° of the four cardinal compass points is ideal for easy installation as shade elements run parallel or perpendicular to eaves (see element orientation on right), beyond 15° from ideal requires diagonal installation, or it can not function correctly.

Primarily locations between 28° and 38° latitude offer maximum benefits from the SUNGOLA design, due to well defined Summer and Winter weather patterns through those areas.

Available; fully installed, as pre-built panels or a completely knocked down (CKD) kit* for DIY.
*mainly outside Perth metro.

Though corrugated steel and opaque plastic sheeted verandahs create good summer shade, that shade carries over to winter, when it keeps the house interior dark. Depriving it of valuable heat and may require that lights be turned ON, even in the middle of the day.

Clear plastic sheeting can work well during winter by permitting heat and light into the house, but can create an unpleasant heat trap during hotter months. Though the sheeting is lightweight, the support structure must also accomodate the wind loading imposed by the solid covering.

Shade sails may be very aesthetic, but the majority are not installed for efficient/permanent passive shade. This requires them to be removed and stored during winter for good solar input, and reinstalled again for summer. As mentioned in the name, it is a sail, and as such requires strong attachment to handle high winds, which can happen at any time of the year.

A Sungola can also be used to cover skylights to control the amount of sunlight permitted into a building.

Over skylight           View from inside

Sungola current pricing aprox. $380 /sqm installed (Perth metro).

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Sungola Brochure.pdf (1mb)
Sungola pics.pdf (2mb)

Shade element orientation:

(True) North facing install

(True) East or West facing install

Diagonal install
(greater than 15° from either of the above)

Solar Access Composite Image.

• Specific to your proposed/current installation location.
• Shows sun path over the location for the whole year.
• Shows hourly position of the sun for each month.
• Clearly indicates if shade will be a problem, and to what extent.
• Proof of overshadowing in neighborhood disputes.
• Plan your new garden for future solar products.
• Show tree lopper exactly what needs to be removed/trimmed.
• All solar products function best with good direct solar access.
• Could be the difference between an investment and a costly mistake.

Resulting from an extensive knowledge of the sun path throughout the year (acquired whilst designing the Sungola), and observations of some inadequate solar installations, this product was developed. The Solar Access Composite Image (SACI) is designed to provide a visual image of how much direct sunlight a location can expect to receive for the whole year (and cause of reduction). SACI currently only available in Perth metro, and surrounds.

It is near impossible (even for those well qualified) to accurately envisage solar access at a location for the whole year. And then accurately convey that information to the relevant person, without some form of device to assist. This is currently the only service designed specifically to present the end-user/purchaser with an assessment of solar access at their location, in a form they can easily interpret. It is better/cheaper to know of any solar access problem/costs before committing to an expensive purchase, than try to rectify it later.

Though photo-voltaic panels and water heating collectors both rely on direct sunlight (and should face due North) for maximum efficiency, each has its ideal tilt angle (see Other Info). Solar water heating collectors are less prone to the effect of shade as they just drop efficiency, whereas some photo-voltiac panels can completely drop output from the same shade. Knowing of the likelyhood of shade (where and to what extent) is essential.

If shade from trees alone is a big problem at your location and you are not prepared to have trees trimmed to the correct height forget about solar, as it will never be able to function properly. Even deciduous trees whose leaves have fallen can still create enough shade to drop PV efficiency considerably.

SACI requires a full circle (360 degree) photogragh be taken at the location, showing all features above the horizon. This shows any building/structure/tree that may cast a shadow over the location. A graphic representing the (monthly) sun path over the location throughout the year is overlaid on the photo. The composite image indicates clearly if surrounding/overhanging features block direct solar access.

From the circular image (which includes timelines) it is easy to estimate the amount of direct input, or determine what action may be required to maximise efficiency. The circular image can also be converted to rectangular, which may give a more recognisable image, as it shows a panoramic horizon that you may more easily relate to (containing the same information as within the circular image). The following *image is a converted version of the 'Good Solar Access' image (upper right) .

The SACI (and table produced from the composite image) will show you if/what remedial action may be required. If it is cost effective (tree lopping), or not possible (buildings/structures), which could mean the difference between an investment and a costly mistake. Otherwise it may be years before it becomes obvious that/why the system is not performing the way that had been anticipated prior to purchase. A bit to late to reconsider, but maybe not to late to rectify (if trees are the only problem).

Though primarily aimed at determining solar access, to enable solar products to function at maximum efficiency, a SACI can be used for proof of overshadowing by proposed (tall) buildings, as most local councils have some form of regulation/guarantee of solar access at a site (request R-code from your local council).

Curent price aprox. $120 (Perth metro).

*The converted image does not normally show a full 360° horizon, as only features that create shade between/within the winter and summer solstice arcs of the sun path (and more than 15° above the horizon) are of concern. The image may still appear slightly distorted as it represents a hemisphere, but features close to the horizon should be easily recognisable to the client.

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Good Solar Access

Bad Solar Access

SACI leaflet.pdf (0.4mb)

SACI Table .pdf example (0.3mb)

Sunpath overlay features:

Red arcs = sun paths for summer/winter solstice and equinoxes
Black arcs = sun paths for months between
Vertical purple line = solar noon
Black lines = hours before/after solar noon
Blue lines = due East and West
Yellow circle/line = 15° above horizon.

(below 15° sun intensity drops dramatically)

In addition to the products and service that Solar Option manufacture and provide, it maintains ongoing development into solar water heating, electricity generation and air conditioning. Additionally, providing expertise for residential and commercial energy auditing.

In Development:

SWH Expander.

Most Solar Water Heater (SWH) systems are oversized for summer use, and undersized for winter use. They are usually a compromise size, and likely to always need extensive input from the booster during the colder part of the year.

Apart from shorter daylight hours (and less intense solar energy) in winter, the low sun angle reduces the collector area exposed to the sun, on the vast majority of installations.

Normally, adding another panel/collector alongside the existing one(s) to increase your winter input would also increase the excessive input in summer when you don't use as much hot water, reducing its lifespan through thermal stress and chemical reactions at those higher temperatures.

This product is aimed at providing additional collector area/input in winter only (reduced need for booster) without additional input in summer, when not required. To be available in various sizes (from 0.4sqm) to suit the increased input required in the colder months. Though mainly aimed at split/pumped systems (tank on ground), can still function on thermo-syphon systems (tank on roof).

With energy prices increasing, why pay for booster energy when the sun could be doing more (or even all) of the job throughout the year. This does however require correct installation (facing due North) to function as designed, and will only be available on that condition. Good (winter) solar access is essential for this product.

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ValliGard.

Whilst observing roofs for solar installations (and having experienced two such events), a possible situation kept showing up: where trees are in close proximity to a home. Leaf and twig build-up in roof valleys and gutters can result in an overflow of water (blockage during heavy rain) into the home in winter, or a fire potential (dry fuel under the tiles/sheeting) during the bushfire season, with the possibility of spread into the roof cavity.

Though not regular events for everyone, they usually happen at the most inconvenient times (at night or when the home is un-attended). And probably the week before you had been planning to clean them.

Some mesh products made from plastic can entrap the very items they are supposed to exclude, and can melt in a fire situation (adding to the problem). Metal mesh can improve the situation but at a cost as it may require an installer to fit the product.

The ValliGard is designed as a low cost retro-fit metal product for DIY that simply clips in place on the existing roof plumbing, to reduce leaf build-up in the valley or gutter and allow it to function correctly. Cleaning gutters and valleys to remove blockages will no longer be necessary.

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