Renewable Energy Sources- Passive Solar Design

Passive solar architecture is a means of maximising the potential of the sun to heat our buildings through the use of appropriate design, high levels of insulation and thermally massive construction. In combination with additional gains from through cooking, lighting and the building’s occupants, additional space heating may be rendered unnecessary. In fact, designers must take care to include sufficient ventilation to avoid overheating during times of high incident solar radiation.

Passive solar design is highly economically viable for new builds, estimates suggest it costs no more than 5-10% more than a conventional construction and when implemented properly, the energy (and therefore financial) savings achieved in such design strategies can be greater than the extra payments on a standard mortgage.

There are two types of passive solar design, direct and indirect:

Direct Solar GainSolar radiation directly heats the internal space through external south facing glazing. Thermally massive (e.g. concrete and masonry) walls and floors absorb heat during the day and radiate it out at night to help achieve a comfortable and constant internal climate

Indirect Solar Gain This approach normally utilises a “trombe wall” which is a wall behind glazing separating the space being heated from the living area. Solar radiation is normally absorbed and radiated into the building through the use of ventilation which exploits convection currents.