Editing Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin (section)

===Solar Village===
When Soldiers Grove began its relocation project in 1979, the United States was suffering from its [[1979 energy crisis|second oil crisis]] in six years. In response to high energy costs, an energy task force for the Soldiers Grove relocation recommended that the new business district use [[solar heating]]. Despite the village's location in the northern state of Wisconsin, studies showed it was feasible for new buildings to achieve a majority of their heat from [[solar energy]]. Consequently, the village council, led by eco-champion Daniel Naccarato, enacted an unprecedented ordinance requiring all new commercial buildings obtain at least 50% of their heat from the sun. Another law prohibited any new structure from blocking sunlight to another building.

To meet the solar energy requirements, buildings in the new business district were constructed with heavy insulation and earth-[[berm]]ing to supply [[thermal mass]]. South facing roof slopes and windows were built to capture maximum sunlight, and blowers and [[Hydronics|hydronic]] systems were installed to circulate the collected heat. Over twenty solar heated businesses were eventually built in the small community. While federal funds had been allocated to help relocate businesses from the floodplain, no additional federal monies were provided for the solar heating initiative.

In addition to solar heating, the village of Soldiers Grove passed ordinances for the new business district that mandated handicapped [[accessibility]], placed restrictions on advertising signs, and promoted the use of natural building materials.<ref>
{{Citation
  | first = Becker
  | last = William S.
  | title = Come rain, come shine: A case study of a floodplain relocation project at Soldier's Grove
  | page = 26
  | place = Madison
  | publisher = Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  | year = 1983 }}
</ref>

According to a 2003 report in [[Solar Today]] magazine, poor upkeep and lax regulation has reduced the energy efficiency of some of the solar heated businesses, but "most of the buildings are still excellent examples of solar energy at work."<ref>{{Citation
  | last1 = Gillett  | first1 = Drew
  | last2 = Pine | first2 = Nick
  | title = Soldiers Grove Soldiers On: Take a Back to the Future look at this Wisconsin town 25 years after it re-created itself with a solar-heated commercial district
  | journal = Solar Today
  | volume = 17
  | issue = 6
  | pages = 34–37
  | publisher = American Solar Energy Society
  | location = Boulder, Colorado
  | year = 2007
  | url = http://www.ece.vill.edu/~nick/Soldier...On.pdf
  | issn = 1042-0630 }}</ref>