ARCHITECTURE
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING
PASSIVE SOLAR ARCHITECTURE
A SYSTEM OF FEATURES INCORPORATED INTO A BUILDINGS DESIGN TO USE AND MAXIMIZE THE EFFECTS OF THE SUNS NATURAL HEATING CAPABILITY.
INTRODUCTION
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING
CONCEPT
ANCIENT CITY OF PRIENE
THE ANCIENT GREEKS PLANNED WHOLE CITIES IN GREECE AND ASIA MINOR SUCH AS PRIENE, SHOWN IN THE ILLUSTRATION, TO ALLOW EVERY HOMEOWNER ACCESS TO SUNLIGHT DURING WINTER TO WARM THEIR HOMES. BY RUNNING THE STREETS IN A CHECKERBOARD PATTERN RUNNING EASTWEST AND NORTH-SOUTH PATTERN EVERY HOME COULD FACE SOUTH, PERMITTING THE WINTER SUN TO FLOW INTO THE HOUSE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
HISTORY OF SOLAR ARCHITECTURE
ROMAN HELIOCAMINUS
THE TERM MEANS "SUN FURNACE." THE ROMANS USED THE TERM TO DESCRIBE THEIR SOUTH-FACING ROOMS. THEY BECAME MUCH HOTTER IN WINTER THAN SIMILARLY ORIENTED GREEK HOMES BECAUSE THE ROMANS COVERED THEIR WINDOW SPACES WITH MICA OR GLASS WHILE THE GREEKS DID NOT. CLEAR MATERIALS LIKE MICA OR GLASS ACT AS SOLAR HEAT TRAPS: THEY READILY ADMIT SUNLIGHT INTO A ROOM BUT HOLD IN THE HEAT THAT ACCUMULATES INSIDE. SO THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE A GLAZED WINDOW WOULD RISE WELL ABOVE WHAT WAS POSSIBLE IN A GREEK SOLAR ORIENTED HOME, MAKING THE HELIOCAMINUS TRULY A "SUN FURNACE" WHEN COMPARED TO ITS OF GREEK COUNTERPART. SOLAR ARCHITECTURE
HISTORY
ACOMA
THE ANCIENT PUEBLO PEOPLE OR "ANASAZI" BUILT A NUMBER OF SOPHISTICATED SOLAR ORIENTED COMMUNITIES DURING THE 11TH AND 12TH CENTURIES AD IN WHAT IS NOW THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES: LONG HOUSE AT MESA VERDE, PUEBLO BONITO IN NORTHERN MEXICO AND THE "SKY CITY" OF ACOMA.
HISTORY OF SOLAR ARCHITECTURE
APPROACH TO PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING
DIRECT GAIN INDIRECT GAIN INSOLATED GAIN
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING
DIRECT GAIN
IN THIS SYSTEM, THE ACTUAL LIVING SPACE IS A SOLAR COLLECTOR, HEAT ABSORBER AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. SOUTH FACING GLASS ADMITS SOLAR ENERGY INTO THE HOUSE WHERE IT STRIKES DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY THERMAL MASS MATERIALS IN THE HOUSE SUCH AS MASONRY FLOORS AND WALLS. THE DIRECT GAIN SYSTEM WILL UTILIZE 60 75% OF THE SUNS ENERGY STRIKING THE WINDOWS.
DIRECT GAIN
Direct gain system rules of thumb
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Mass Distribution: spread it around evenly; 6 times glazing area (3X minimum) Mass Thickness: thin and spread out better than thick. More than 4 for masonry or concrete not useful Color: Floors dark to absorb more heat, walls and ceilings lighter to reflect light. Surface Covering: insulative coverings (i.e.. Rugs) greatly decrease performance of thermal mass Concrete Block Masonry: If used, a high density with cores filled with grout Floor Materials: Concrete or brick preferred. If insulating under, at least 4 thick (100mm). More than 6 (150mm) not useful. Limits on Direct Gain Glazing Area: South facing glazing limited to prevent large temperature swings. 7% of floor area for low mass buildings, 13% of floor area for high mass buildings. Glazing orientation: Vertical facing due south preferred. Vertical easiest to build, and easiest to shade in summer. Performance penalty for 15degrees off due south is 10% and for 30 degrees is 20% loss; so within 15 degrees recommended. Night insulation: Really helpful but can be very costly.
9.
10. Thermal Insulation: Insulation located OUTSIDE the thermal mass.
DIRECT GAIN
INDIRECT GAIN
IN AN INDIRECT GAIN SYSTEM, THERMAL MASS IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE LIVING SPACE. THE THERMAL MASS ABSORBS THE SUNLIGHT THAT STRIKES IT AND TRANSFERS IT TO THE LIVING SPACE BY CONDUCTION. THE INDIRECT GAIN SYSTEM WILL UTILIZE 30 45% OF THE SUNS ENERGY STRIKING THE GLASS ADJOINING THE THERMAL MASS.
INDIRECT GAIN
INDIRECT GAIN
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF INDIRECT GAIN SYSTEMS: THERMAL STORAGE WALL SYSTEMS (TROMBE WALLS) ROOF POND SYSTEMS
TROMBE WALLS
The thermal mass is located immediately behind south facing glass in this system. Operable vents at the top and bottom of a thermal storage wall permit heat to convect from between the wall and the glass into the living space. When the vents are closed at night radiant heat from the wall heats the living space.
INDIRECT GAIN
ROOF POND SYSTEM
A ROOF POND SYSTEM USUALLY CONSISTS OF SIX TO TWELVE INCHES OF WATER CONTAINED ON A FLAT ROOF. WATER CAN ALSO BE STORED IN LARGE PLASTIC OR FIBERGLASS CONTAINERS COVERED BY GLAZING AND THE SPACE BELOW IS WARMED BY RADIANT HEAT FROM THE WARM WATER ABOVE. IN THE DAYTIME WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING THE WATER IN THE "POND" HEATS UP. AT NIGHT INSULATION IS MOVED OVER THE "POND" AND THE HEATED WATER RADIATES TO THE SPACE BELOW HEATING THE ROOM.
INDIRECT GAIN
InDirect gain system rules of thumb
The exterior of the mass wall (toward the sun) should be a dark color. Use a minimum space of 4 inches between the thermal mass wall and the glass. Vents used in a thermal mass wall must be closed at night.
INDIRECT GAIN
INSOLATED GAIN
AN ISOLATED GAIN SYSTEM HAS ITS INTEGRAL PARTS SEPARATE FROM THE MAIN LIVING AREA OF A HOUSE. EXAMPLES ARE A SUNROOM AND A CONVECTIVE LOOP THROUGH AN AIR COLLECTOR TO A STORAGE SYSTEM IN THE HOUSE. THE ABILITY TO ISOLATE THE SYSTEM FROM THE PRIMARY LIVING AREAS IS THE POINT OF DISTINCTION FOR THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM.
INSOLATED GAIN
SUNSPACES
SUNROOMS (OR SOLAR GREENHOUSES) EMPLOY A COMBINATION OF DIRECT GAIN AND INDIRECT GAIN SYSTEM FEATURES. SUNLIGHT ENTERING THE SUNROOM IS RETAINED IN THE THERMAL MASS AND AIR OF THE ROOM. SUNLIGHT IS BROUGHT INTO THE HOUSE BY MEANS OF CONDUCTION THROUGH A SHARED MASS WALL IN THE REAR OF THE SUNROOM, OR BY VENTS THAT PERMIT THE AIR BETWEEN THE SUNROOM AND LIVING SPACE TO BE EXCHANGED BY CONVECTION.
INSOLATED GAIN
Isolated Gain rules of thumb for sunrooms
Use a dark color for the thermal wall in a sunspace. The thickness of the thermal wall should be 8-12 inches for adobe or earth materials, 10-14 inches for brick, 12-18 inches for (dense) concrete. Withdraw excess heat in the sunroom (if not used for warm weather plants) until the room reaches 45 degrees and put the excess heat into thermal mass materials in other parts of the house. For a sunroom with a masonry thermal wall, use 0.30 square feet of south glazing for each square foot of living space floor area. If a water wall is used between the sunroom and living space instead of masonry, use 0.20 square feet of south facing glass for each square foot of living area. Have a ventilation system for summer months. If overhead glass is used in a sunroom, use heat reflecting glass and or shading systems in the overhead areas.
INSOLATED GAIN
