passive solar design, definition of
- Passive Solar Design
Passive Solar Design is undergoing a resurgence as more people not only recognise the comfort benefits and lower energy bills of solar architecture, but now see a way of helping reduce the polluting effects of green house
gases through less reliance on fossil fuels
for heating and cooling.
Basic house design principles include:
- Orientation of the main living areas towards the North (or South if in the Northern hemisphere)
- Glazing used to trap the warmth of the Sun.
- Thermal mass to store the heat from the Sun.
- Insulation to reduce heat loss or heat gain.
- Ventilation to capture cooling breezes.
EcoWho blog posts where 'passive solar design' used:
A well designed solar home
should remain within 18 degrees C to 28 degrees C throughout the year and save 60% to 70% in average household heating costs.
Online tools where 'passive solar design' used:
- Passive Solar Design advice
Passive Solar design can be applied to existing buildings as well as new buildings. We explain some useful techniques and give links to useful resources.
News & Blog articles where 'passive solar design' used:
- Passive Solar Design Eaves Calculator
Works out the ideal Eave depth for a given height of window and world location; so the Sun comes in in Winter but not Summer, maximizing the passive solar effect.
- These bioclimatic student dorms use low-cost, sustainable materials
In the tropical Vietnamese province of Dong Nai, Southeast Asian architecture firm T3 Architects has completed the Hippo Farm Bioclimatic Dormitories, a cost-effective housing structure that uses locally sourced materials and bioclimatic design...
- Central Park to undergo $150M LEED Gold-targeted redesign
To cap the Central Park Conservancy’s 40-year renewal of Central Park, the nonprofit has unveiled designs to update the park’s north end with a LEED Gold-targeted recreational facility, a new pool, skating rink and other amenities...
- A 1940s cottage is transformed into a solar-powered Hanok-inspired home
Portland-based collaborative design practice Woofter Architecture has recently completed the expansion and renovation of a 1940s cottage in Portland, Oregon...
- Near net-zero energy Helsinki Central Library boasts an award-winning, prefab design
Helsinki has entered a “new era of libraries” with the completion of Oodi, the Helsinki Central Library that not only serves as a new central point for the city’s public library network but also an award-winning public space with a movie theater,...
- MADs ethereal Yiwu Grand Theater will float on Zhejiang waters
Beijing-based architectural firm MAD Architects has won a competition for Zhejiang’s Yiwu Grand Theater with a proposal that’s stunning, sculptural and site-specific...
- Anderson Architecture revamps a dim heritage home into a modern sun-soaked abode
When Sydney-based design studio Anderson Architecture was asked to improve the livability of an old heritage home in the inner western Sydney suburb of Lewisham, the house suffered from a cold and dark indoor environment...
- Modern, self-sustaining home blends into a rocky landscape
Zagreb-based architectural office PROARH completed Issa Megaron, a family retreat in Croatia that’s disguised inside a rocky hillside with a zigzagging road...
- This breezy, green-roofed home in Singapore embraces nature from all angles
Whereas many modern buildings in Singapore rebel against the country’s tropical climate with air-conditioned, hermetic spaces, international architecture firm Guz Architects decided instead to embrace the natural environment in its design of the Willow...
- This beautiful Washington cabin meets net-zero targets even in extreme temperatures
Nestled in a historic mining area in Washington State’s Cascade Mountains, a holiday retreat offers luxurious comfort without compromising sustainability targets...
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