Solar heating

“During the fifth century BC, the Greeks faced severe fuel shortages. Fortunately, an alternative source of energy was available - the sun. Archaeological evidence shows that a standard house plan evolved during the fifth century so that every house, whether rural or urban, could make maximum use of the sun's warm rays during winter. Those living in ancient Greece confirm what archaeologists have found. Aristotle noted, builders made sure to shelter the north side of the house to keep out the cold winter winds. And Socrates, who lived in a solar-heated house, observed, "In houses that look toward the south, the sun penetrates the portico in winter" which keeps the house heated in winter. The great playwright Aeschylus went so far as to assert that only primitives and barbarians "lacked knowledge of houses turned to face the winter sun, dwelling beneath the ground like swarming ants in sunless caves." In the cities that we drove through it was apparent that this method of heating was everywhere, upon my investigation this like so many things is Nothing New! Interesting nonetheless! Ummmmmm conserving even that far back, what a concept! Does the word RETRO ring a bell? A prefix or combining form signifying backward, back; as, retroact, to act backward; retrospect, a looking back.