Active solar technologies, such as photovoltaic solar panels, currently get more attention in the news than passive solar because they generate electricity. Unfortunately the cost of solar panels is not yet cheap enough to compete with the cost of fossil fuels and not cheap enough to be implemented in most conventional home design. Passive solar design, however, is easy to implement because it is completely dependent on the materials used and the layout of the structure. Passive systems have very few moving parts and are far more likely to last the lifetime of the building without need of repair. The cost of building a passive solar home is comparable to that of a regular home, and saves operating costs over the long run because there are no added energy costs from poor design. Passive solar homes cut down on the need for electricity or fossil fuels to heat, light, and cool the home because the temperature of the home can be kept consistent throughout the year. Although the initial cost of a passive solar home might be slightly more than a conventional design because of the current expense of thermal mass materials over that of wood framed homes, the house will earn back its initial cost because of electrical and heating savings. The first passive solar house built in Iowa cost $6000 more than a house conventional home because of the additional “$2000… for extra glazing and $4000 for the extra cost of concrete.” But records indicate that the home itself (which costs the owners about $585 more a year in mortgage) is still cheaper than conventional homes in the area. According to Ron Judkoff, director of the Buildings and Thermal Systems Center at the National Renewable Energy Lab, “passive-solar features increase the cost of building a new home by anywhere from nothing to about 3 percent”(Chiras). There should not be a contest between passive and active solar technologies as they are both effective alternatives to fossil fuels and centralized electrical sources, but passive solar designs should be incorporated into all new homes because they add very little additional up-front cost, while saving energy and energy related operating costs