Bridger Road – Waltman Rest Area
Wyoming has a series of passive solar rest areas that use materials and site orientation to make them more efficient.
It’s that time of the year – it’s summertime! As the days grow longer and warmer, it’s time to hit the road and explore the world around you.
If you drive across Wyoming you might come across a series of passive solar rest areas.
Skylights allow natural sunlight to help light the way in the building.
Materials with thermal mass make up the building’s bulk, while the angled windows facing the south orientate the building to absorb the sun’s heat throughout the day.
The solar heat is stored in its mass (the brick, concrete and masonry) and is slowly released to heat the building in the cooler evening and night.
Skylights allow natural sunlight to help light the space during the day, cutting down on energy use.
Visit Wyoming, because it’s a beautiful state, but while there are some efficient buildings and amazing sites that include Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons, you’ll also see signs of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas extraction.
