b'___ "\'-t.~- llffi r__~Inspecting construction progress on their new company\'s first solar heating system tare President Terrence R. Caster (center) and Vice President Robert C. Gallagher ~(left).The company, Energy Systems Inc., is a division of Caster Development flCorporation, developer ofVista de/ Colitas subdivision where the first home the with solar heatingisbeing completed. Aheating savings ofto 50 per centis up anticipated. I \'\\.-~"l - 1 ~. ~-Becauseofthe currentcrisis,manynewsourcesof energy are beinginvestigoted.Someofthesemethodsinvolvetheuse of &the roof area as one method of heating homes as well as asource Roofersofwaterheating.Roofingcontractorshaverequestedmoreinformationon these unitsbothasapotential sourceof revenue, Developersaswell as anew roofunitwith whichtheymustcontend.For ISIthis reason,we have devotedsomespaceto answering some of TOna11the questions they have in mind. HSlareating Units THENATION\'SFIRSTSOLARspeed with both research and construc thermostatactivatesablowerthat heating unitbe built and installed bytion. There is a vital need to conserve tosends the stored heat throughout the a subdivision developer is near comple energy wherever action can be taken.home.Ifadditional heat is needed the tioninSan Diego,Calif.Its creatorsWe are committed to this program byconventional fuel furnace takes over . anticipate a heating cost savings of 50both money and time. We\'ve done ourThesolarheatingunitisfully per cent.homework and created a system that isintegrated into the home\'s conventionThefirm,CasterDevelopmentgoing to harness the sunthat\'s beenalheating system. Corp., plans to build the solar heatinghanging over our heads all our lives."Theunit being completedwilladd unitsintoallthecustom-designedThe28-acredevelopment\'shomes$2,300 to the cost of the $140,000 home homesof itsexclusivehousingtract.willbe serving asprototypes forthein which it is installed. Caster says his Thecompanyhasestablishedanewnewsolarheatingsystem.Thefirstfirm\'s solar heaters for economy homes division called Energy Systems Inc., tohome to have the solar unit built into itcost as little as $500. designandinstallthesolarheatingisnearly completed.Onthewestern"Solarenergyheatingispractical equipment.Thesubdivision,calledslope of its heavy cedar shake roof is aacrossawideareaoftheUnited VistadelColinas,islocatedinthelarge,glass-coveredcollectorpanel.States" Gallaghersaid."The requireGranite Hills area of El Cajon,at theTheflat-blacksurfacesofthepanelment for the system to work is ample easternedgeofmetropolitanSanabsorbenoughradiatedheatfromsunlight,not warmweather.It\'sthe Diego.sunlight to raisethe airtemperaturesun\'slightraysthatareb1;ing In the planning stages forthe lastinside to as muchas 160 degrees.transferredinto heatingpower,soa year, the concept was launched whenThe sun-heated air is forcedpast awarmclimate is not as important as theenergycrisisbeganinearnest.series of baffles inside the panel andclear skies. The Southwest and certain "The time for solar energy applicationsdown to the lower floor where the heatother areas of theUnitedStates are in home heating is now"Caster said.is transferred to a heat storage block.ideal environments forthis system." "WedecidedtomoveaheadatfullWhenthehomerequiresheat,aA Miami roofer is thinking long and 6ABC, May1974'