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places · updated 2026-10-15

Sol-Mod house

confidence: medium volatility: warm verified: 2026-11-04fresh

Small passive-solar modular house designed by Bruce W. Davis with Karen Terry, using a vertical water wall as a Trombe wall for primary heating in a high-desert setting. Originally heating only; now capable of cooling as well.

Small passive-solar modular house designed by Bruce W. Davis with Karen Terry, using a vertical water wall as a Trombe wall for primary heating in a high-desert setting.

Thermal system details (Oct 2026 meeting)

The Sol-Mod was originally designed for heating only but has since been adapted to cool as well. Bruce Davis (Oct 14, 2026 meeting) described the system as working “exactly like the drum wall”:

  • Storage: 8 to 10-inch irrigation ABS(?) pipes — water on the side
  • Plumbing: parallel pipes connected to each other at a top manifold; connections between pipes had significant leak potential
  • Leak history: one leak occurred; that cylinder was emptied and not refilled, but the system continued operating without it
  • Drainage: required a pump to drain the pipes (unlike thermosiphon-drained systems)

The parallel-pipe arrangement and manifold connections closely resemble the Davis Studio system, though at a larger pipe diameter (8-10” vs 4” PVC in the studio).

See also