In the planning stages, Ian took a model of his home to the Pacific Energy Center's Heliodon, a system that simulates the motion of the earth relative to the sun to see how the light shining into the home would change throughout the year. Ian designed the home to feature large south-facing windows to help heat and illuminate the interior. Heading to the Heliodon (it's open to the public) helped him assess his design and see if he optimized the placement of the windows for all seasons. Photo 3 of 13 in Building Green in Albany by Diana Budds

Building Green in Albany

3 of 13

In the planning stages, Ian took a model of his home to the Pacific Energy Center's Heliodon, a system that simulates the motion of the earth relative to the sun to see how the light shining into the home would change throughout the year. Ian designed the home to feature large south-facing windows to help heat and illuminate the interior. Heading to the Heliodon (it's open to the public) helped him assess his design and see if he optimized the placement of the windows for all seasons.