U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for January 18

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18: FIRST HOUSE WITH SOLAR HEATING

Profile America — Wednesday, January 18th.  There's been a lot of emphasis lately on making houses that are more energy efficient — with better insulation, windows that seal out heat and cold and better weather stripping.  Many feature the use of solar panels to capture the natural heat of the sun.  The first house in America with solar heating and radiation cooling was built by Raymond Bliss and opened this week in 1955 in Tucson, Arizona.  A large, slanting slab of steel and glass converted sunlight into heat, which was brought into the house by ducts.  Across the U.S., the average household spends $3,645 annually for utilities, fuels, and public services.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Kane's Famous First Facts, 2129
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 686

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau