First Heliodome in Switzerland
Built to match the sun's changing orientation
Heliodome in Erschmatt
Live comfortably with the sun
Catch the sun's rays in winter and protect yourself from the heat in summer. The Heliodome is a building that gets its shape from the the changes in the sun's orbit in its daily and annual course. The form saves 80 percent of a house’s energy requirement compared to a conventional building. It was invented and constructed by Eric Wasser from Alsace.
Functioning principles
The path of the sun in the course of the year determines the form of the Heliodome: In winter, the light penetrates through the windows down to the floor of the house and fills the entire interior with light and warmth. In summer, when the sun is higher, solar radiation runs along the top of the façade without penetrating the interior in order to maintain a cool climate indoors.
The house’s general shape is oblique and the roof’s slope is a function of latitude. One major aspect of the building its strict orientation to the south. As a result, on most days, the energy from the sun’s rays delivered to the building is sufficient to heat it.
Location and Contact
The private residential and holiday home is located in the neighborhood of Erschmatt’s Hugostein. The couple who own it, Gabriela & Herbert Lötscher, can be contacted for questions and visits:
www.hefemeubles.ch
