Thermal performance of ground-coupled desert buildings
Results of a computer simulation study of ground-coupled buildings in desert regions are presented. Using finite difference models, the computer program SPICE was used to analyze two-dimensional thermal networks when various parameters of the system were varied. The 150-m/sup 2/ building's annual performance was found to be sensitive to the fenestration amount and orientation, to the depth of soil around the building, and to the insulation amount and placement. However, varying the soil's thermal properties and berming as opposed to burying the building to the same depth had little influence on the annual performance. In order to trace the performance trends in more detail, soil isotherms and monthly heat balances were computer to compare the behavior of a high-mass above-grade building that is well-insulated to a high-mass ground-coupled structure that has only roof insulation.
- Research Organization:
- Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-77CH00178
- OSTI ID:
- 5922301
- Report Number(s):
- SERI/TP-722-1337; CONF-810925-22; ON: DE82002423
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 6. national passive conference, Portland, OR, USA, 8 Sep 1981
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Ground-coupling techniques for cooling in desert regions
Thermal performance of earth covered buildings in hot, arid regions
Related Subjects
BUILDINGS
HEAT FLOW
PASSIVE SOLAR COOLING SYSTEMS
DESERTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DATA COMPILATION
EARTH BERMS
ENERGY BALANCE
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
HEAT GAIN
ISOTHERM
ROOFS
S CODES
SOILS
THERMAL INSULATION
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WINDOWS
ARID LANDS
DATA
EQUIPMENT
INFORMATION
ITERATIVE METHODS
NUMERICAL DATA
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
OPENINGS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SIMULATION
SOLAR COOLING SYSTEMS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
140901* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Space Heating & Cooling