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Passive Solar Heating
Through effective passive solar design we can harness the power of the sun in heating our healthy house whilst protecting inhabitants from excess heat.
What do we mean by passive solar heating?
Solar radiation (heat from the sun) enters the building via glazed surfaces, it is then absorbed and stored by the thermal mass of the building - for example, masonry walls and floors. Once stored we then employ appropriate technology to retain the heat, mainly through insulation and then utilise it in an effective and targeted manner. There are numerous method of doing this such as via well designed radiation, convection and conduction paths and powered methods such as fans and air blowers.
Our design will need to take account of many factors such as:
- The strength of the sun throughout the year.
- The latitude, altitude and azimuth of the site.
- Shading of the building and prevalent weather conditions.
- Ways to maximise the use of the sun in providing heating whilst avoiding over exposure to solar radiation.
- The technology and techniques that can be employed to control and manage heat.
- Methods of storing and releasing heat.
- Ventilation.
There are two key types of passive solar heating system design. Direct gain whereby thermal gain is through direct heating of the thermal mass by solar radiation. Indirect gain whereby solar radiation is captured by a component of the building with a high thermal mass and then released into different areas within the building that need to be heated.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Good resource. We’re going to try converting our home to passive solar this year. Thanks.