It’s official: solar heating is hot. With the B.C. Minister of Housing asking for 100,000 solar roofs by the year 2020, demand is set to skyrocket.

Enter Tang Lee, solar heating pioneer. Lee, who teaches at the University of Calgary, is the brains behind many key Canadian solar projects. He gave a workshop on solar heating back in January at Kimberley’s Building Sustainability conference and he’s coming back on June 19 to give another one, Practical and Effective Solar Heating.
 
This time, however, he’s planning big things: Students of the day-long workshop will learn how to use computer modeling software to design solar heating systems. They’ll also learn how to construct their own residential systems and will have an idea of how to apply the concepts to commercial, industrial and institutional spaces as well.
 
Wildsight organizer Kevin Brown says the workshop is a super hot deal for anyone who wants to grasp the basics — and then some — of low-cost solar heating after just one day.
 
“This is a professional-level course,” Brown says. “It would be $1,000 in Calgary, but our local partners stepped up to make it affordable here. The only danger is that people won’t realize what a good deal it is.”

Wildsight’s partners Golden Timber Frames and College of the Rockies are donating speaker fees, meeting space, computer access and more.
 
“Golden Timber Frames of Invermere are leading passive wall technology,” says Brown. “Their new system—the first of its kind in Canada—is a great fit for solar heating and will also be on display at the workshop.”
 
Brown notes there is still time to take advantage of low, early-bird registration. “The cost is just $149 plus GST until June 1,” he said. “After that, it goes up to $179 plus GST. So get it while it’s hot.”
 
Practical and Effective Solar Heating with Tang Lee takes place on Saturday, June 19, 2010, from 8:30 to 4:30 at the College of the Rockies Kimberley Campus.
 
To register: College of the Rockies Kimberley Campus at 250.427.7116, extension 3752.