Passive Solar Design

1. Passive Solar Design Designing a building to work with the sun

2. There is a type of solar energy that uses no equipment at all. This is called Passive Solar, and it uses the basic structural elements of a building, careful site selection and home planning, and various homebuilding strategies to keep buildings comfortable at very low energy cost. It also incorporates energy-efficiency features.

3. The principles of passive solar are nothing new. More than 2500 years ago in ancient Greece, entire cities were built to take advantage of the sun and the climate. Buildings were designed to take advantage of daylighting, ventilation and other good design practices.

4. In the U.S., drawings and photographs of the cliff dwellings of the American Indians and the sod homes of the early pioneers show the popularity – and the necessity – of building homes to respond to the environment.

5. Passive solar designs include open areas with walls that absorb heat during the day and release it at night – into the home in winter and out of the home in summer.

6. Large windows take advantage of the winter sun, but blinds and drapes keep the home cooler in summer. Windows let daylight in, and operable windows let the occupants control the flow of natural ventilation.

7. Sunspaces give homeowners bright greenhouse-style rooms that are very comfortable in cold weather.

8. A home in a crowded “hutong” in the narrow alleyways of Beijing has little furniture or amenities -– but it does have a compact fluorescent energy-efficient light in the ceiling.

9. Discussion Questions • What passive design features would you put into homes in your community? • What active solar features would work best with an overall passive home design? • How could passive design features make your school more energy-efficient?