Conservation is something the American people need to improve on especially the big corporations that make and sell to the consumers. But energy wise passive solar is the way to go with every household on the globe. Their are quite a few methods that are passive in the realm of conservation,

that help minimize electricity usage. Which also minimizes the amount of fossil fuels that need to be used, to keep up with our energy consumption.

When a building has passive solar capabilities it's able to absorb and store the suns heat, the walls, floors and windows are made to collect, store and distribute solar energy in the form of heat. Dont get it confused with active solar heating which involves solar panels and mechanical, electrical devices.
 Passive is much more "humble", with bigger taller windows to allow more sunlight in the home, and insulated thermal flooring and walls.
 Passive solar techniques can be applied to newer houses, older homes can be retrofitted with some of these designs. Some would say that all that insulation will make it Unbareably hot during the summer in some regions. But the sun rises and sets in different areas thats why we have winter and summer. Whats happening in a passive solar building is its better constructed to allow sunlight (heat) to easily find its way in and "self-heat" the building through conventional methods. It makes it tough for the heat to find its way out of the building thanks to insulation and concrete walls.

The buildings will have proper ventillation  so the heat can work its way all throughout the area, top to bottom. the main source of heat transfer is radiant energy, and the primary source is the sun. Solar radiation occurs predominantly through the roof and windows (but also through walls). Thermal walls moves from a warmer surface to a cooler one. Roofs receive the majority of the solar radiation delivered to a house.