Survey of passive solar buildings

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5284671

This publication describes passive solar buildings that have been constructed in the United States to date. The report's purpose is to offer a working definition and a basic understanding of a number of existing applications of passive solar designs. A passive solar heating and cooling system is defined as one in which thermal energy flows through a building by natural means. Its operation involves the control of the thermal energy flow and includes the ability to completely stop energy flow from entering or leaving the building. Sophisticated design is required to achieve operational efficiency. Three basic passive solar concepts are identified, each involving different relationships between the sun, the storage mass, and the living space. These concepts are direct gain (from sun to living space to storage mass); indirect gain (from sun to storage mass to living space); and isolated gain (from sun to collector space to storage mass to living space). Examples of indirect gain solar building are grouped into mass trombe, water trombe, and roof pond approaches. Variations of the isolated gain concept are illustrated by the thermosiphon building type and the sunspace building type as well as by several wall and window component systems. The buildings representing each type of passive energy application are listed and described with accompanying photographs and architectural plans. Passive solar cooling methods are briefly delineated and include night sky radiation, evaporative cooling, dessicant cooling, underground building, and induced ventilation. A reference list is provided.

• Research Organization: AIA Research Corp., Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5284671
• Report Number(s): PB-82-144684
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140901* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
ARCHITECTURE
BUILDINGS
DESIGN
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
HEAT GAIN
HEATING SYSTEMS
MASS
PASSIVE SOLAR COOLING SYSTEMS
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
REVIEWS
SOLAR ARCHITECTURE
SOLAR COOLING SYSTEMS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
THERMAL MASS
TROMBE WALLS
WALLS
WATER WALLS