Passive energizes

Back in an era of bad haircuts and awful disco music, homebuilder Hugh Heron tried to market a seemingly great idea. But, in keeping with the tastes of the times, it flopped.

Heron, then with Tartan Homes in Ottawa, helped build a group of houses that employed passive solar technology – a cost-effective way to slash dependence on traditional energy sources.

"We developed lots with a southern exposure," Heron explains. "The houses were not square to the street, but at an angle. This angle was enough to put people off and these were the last homes in the development to sell."

Heron, now president of Heathwood Homes and a partner in the Heron Group of Companies in Toronto, laughs when he looks back. He also emphasizes that "the world has changed since 1978.

"People have always been willing to spend more for granite (countertops), but now solar is starting to come into people's lexicons.''

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