ME 100 TUTORIAL

PRESENTATION

PASSIVE SOLAR ENERGY

By Aaron Zhou and others……
ID#: 20193983
 Intro to Passive Solar Energy

Raw energy from the Sun •

The term “passive” signifies that there are no additional mechanical equipment required, other •
than the normal building elements

All passive techniques use building elements such as walls, windows, floors and roofs, in •
addition to exterior building elements and landscaping, to control heat generated by solar
radiation.

If used carefully it could provide us with many benefits which would otherwise cost a lot more •

Solar energy is useful for heating, cooling, cooking, lighting, electricity, water pumping and •
purification
Incorporating passive solar designs can slash bill by half! •

3 common methods and additional strategies of utilizing this renewable resource:

 Passive Thermal Systems

Environmental Forces
Earth •
Wind •
Fire •
Water •
 Passive Thermal Systems

Earth Contact
Thermal mass •
Wind shelter •
Solar exposure •
 Passive Thermal Systems

Earthlike forms
Thermal mass •
Wind shelter •
Solar “canyons” •

Marriot Library
Salt Lake City, Utah
 Passive Thermal Systems

Earth-based materials

Adobe, Brick, Stone

Natural material source •
Thermal mass •
Locally available •
Traditional and modern uses •
 Passive Thermal Systems

Earthscaping
Natural materials •
Shelter/screening •
Locally available •
 Passive Thermal Systems

Wind

Wind Tower
Wind scoop •
Evaporative cooling •
Thermal mass cooling •
 Passive Thermal Systems

Wind

Warm air rises

Attic ventilation •
Solar chimneys •
Passive Thermal Systems

Fire
Solar chimney •

Morse-Libby Mansion
Portland, Maine
 Passive Thermal Systems

Wind

Air movement
affects comfort
Cross ventilation •
provides cooling
 Passive Thermal Systems

Fire

Solar Angles
Summer & Winter •
solstices
Verdant and Autumnal equinoxes •
 Passive Thermal Systems

Fire

Skin Surface
Effects
Color •
Reflectivity •
Position •
 Passive Thermal Systems

Fire

Skin Thermal Mass

Increasing thermal •
mass delays heat
penetration
 Passive Thermal Systems

Fire

Interior Solar
Control
Interior shading •
reduces depth of
solar penetration
but still admits
heat
 Passive Thermal Systems

Fire

Site Solar Control

 Evergreen trees

fairly constant
 Deciduous trees

vary seasonally
 Passive Thermal Systems

Fire

Exterior Solar Control

Sheltered openings •
(apertures)
 Passive Thermal Systems

Water

Evapotranspiration
 Landscaping
elements provide
moisture
 Passive Thermal Systems

Water

Interior plantings
can give off/trap
moisture
 Use according to
local climate
 Passive Thermal Systems

Water

Evaporative cooling
 Water features
add to evaporative
cooling (but
increase humidity)
 Passive Thermal Systems

Water

Air directed over or

through water can
provide cooling
 Use according to
local climate
 Passive Thermal Systems

Microclimate
 Fountain, recesses,
and channeled
breezes provide
cooling
 Building controls
exposure to
onshore winds

SF School of Design
San Francisco, CA
 Passive Thermal Systems

Microclimate
Evaporative cooling
 Building exposed to
surrounding
landscape
 Pool, overhangs,

and channeled
breezes provide
cooling

Taliesin West
Phoenix, AZ
 Passive Thermal Systems
Vernacular Precedents
Drawn from Genius Loci •
Can be adapted to contemporary •
design
 Passive Solar Heating
In cold climates, it is very important to obtain and stored •
the maximum amount of heat to sustain comfort
Passive solar heating makes use of building orientation, •
windows, and building materials
South-facing windows are designed to let the sun's heat •
in while insulating against the cold.
Open floor plans allow more sun inside •

There are 3 main methods of passive solar heating:

 Direct Gain
System where heat collection, storage and •
distribution all occur within the same space,
without any interference
Use of south-facing windows, to receive •
maximum solar exposure during the winter
months
Solar heat passes straight into the room where it •
heats up a thermal mass
Heat absorbed by thermal mass and continually •
distributes collected heat at night
Effective thermal masses consist of dense, heavy •
materials that will retain heat whether of not in
direct sunlight. Eg. usually an internal wall or
Picture taken from www.eere.energy.gov/RE/solar_passive.htm
floor made of concrete, stone or masonry,
especially if painted a flat, dark color; dark-
colored cylinders, tanks or drums filled with
water, or bins of rocks.
 Indirect Gain
Uses the same materials as direct gain system but •
thermal mass is placed between Sun and space that Picture taken from www.eere.energy.gov/RE/solar_passive.ht
is heated
Use of flat plat collectors positioned below the mass •
and space to be heated
Solar heat is transferred to the thermal mass where it •
is absorbed
The heat air rises and enters room through vents at •
the bottom of the walls
Convection brings the heat into room and cool air •
down to ducts at the bottom to be sent back to the
thermal mass where it is heated and circulated
During the hot summers, the process is reversed, so •
since the thermal mass is not in direct sunlight, it
absorbs heat from inside the room and radiates it out
Very effective as it usually takes around 6-8 hours for •
the heat energy of the thermal to totally dissipate, so
it can supply heat to the home throughout the night
 Isolated Gain
System where the space that is passively • Picture taken from
www.sunenterprises.com/images/sunroom_1217_large.jpg
heated by the Sun is isolated from the rest
of the building space

South-facing sunrooms are commonly •

fitted to a home to take advantage of the
sun's heat and light.
Using sunrooms to ventilate a house is •
also possible

Lower vents from the sunroom to the •

interior rooms draw air through the living
space to be expelled out the upper vents
to the outside along the top of the
sunroom.
Sunroo
m
 Picture taken from
www.rupages.com/ Rock-n-
Roll_Hall_Of_Fame.jpg
Day lighting
Rock and
Providing interior building with • Roll Hall of
Fame
natural sunlight
South and north-facing windows and •
clerestory windows are all possible
options
Daylight benefits include electrical •
savings, better health, and improved
Hong Kong
light quality (especially in Exhibition
and
commercial buildings) Convention
Centre
Research has showed that student • Picture taken from
ap-
grades and attendance in schools expo.com/HK%20sh
ow/
also improved Hongkong_Show.ht
ml
Passive Cooling Techniques
 PASSIVE COOLING

• Passive cooling systems are least expensive means of cooling a home which
maximizes the efficiency of the building envelope without any use of mechanical
devices.

• It rely on natural heat-sinks to remove heat from the building. They derive
cooling directly from evaporation, convection, and radiation without using any
intermediate electrical devices.

• All passive cooling strategies rely on daily changes in temperature and relative
humidity.

• The applicability of each system depends on the climatic conditions.

• These design strategies reduce heat gains to internal spaces.

- Natural Ventilation - Earth Air Tunnels

- Shading - Evaporative Cooling
- Wind Towers - Passive Down Draught Cooling
- Courtyard Effect - Roof Sprays
 NATURAL VENTILATION

• Outdoor breezes create air movement through the house interior by the 'push-pull'
effect of positive air pressure on the windward side and negative pressure (suction)
on the leeward side.
• In order to have a good natural ventilation, openings must be placed at opposite
pressure zones.

• Also, designers often choose to enhance natural ventilation using tall spaces called
stacks in buildings.
•With openings near the top of stacks,
warm air can escape whereas cooler air
enters the building from openings near
the ground.

•The windows, play a dominant role in

inducing indoor ventilation due to wind
forces.
•In most homes, exhausting the warm air
quickly can be a problem.

•With the design of high ceilings throughout

the breeze zone combined with clerestory
windows at the 14′ ceiling height on three
walls, the rising hot air is allowed to escape
which in turn does two things.

•Firstly the rising air creates a low pressure

zone on the cool mass floor, pulling air along
the floor from other areas of the house as well
as any open doors.

•Secondly the rising and escaping air creates

an interior low pressure that should pull in
large volumes or exterior air from the patio
doors.

•Depending on the primary wind direction and

which doors are opened relative to time of day
and shade, we can create a breeze of cooler
incoming air.
 Passive Solar Cooling

Passive cooling minimizes the effects of solar •

radiation through shading or generating natural air
flows with convection ventilation

Thermal chimney, which can be designed like a smoke •

chimney to vent hot air from the house out through
the (metal) roof

Sun heats up the space in the roof, air warms up and •

rises up the space, escapes through vents at the top

At the same time, cool air from outside is pulled into •

the room from fresh air vents at the bottom of the
wall

Warm air inside is also pulled by vents into the roof • Picture taken from the.honoluluadvertiser.com/.
../Feb/27/ln20a.gif
space to be released
 SHADING
•Solar control is a critical requirement for both
cooling-load dominated and passively solar-heated
buildings.

•The most effective method of cooling a building is

to shade windows, walls and roof of building from
direct solar radiation.

•Heavily insulated walls and roofs need less shading.

•Can use overhangs on outside facade of the

building.

Each project should be evaluated depending on its relative

cooling needs:

•Extend the overhang beyond the sides of the window to

prevent solar gain from the side.

•Use slatted or louvered shades to allow more daylight to

enter, while shading windows from direct sunlight.

•Reduce solar heat gain by recessing windows into the wall.

 WIND TOWER
• In a wind tower, the hot air enters the tower through
the openings in the tower, gets cooled, and thus
becomes heavier and sinks down.

• The inlet and outlet of rooms induce cool air

movement.

• In the presence of wind, air is cooled more

effectively and flows faster down the tower and into
the living area.

• After a whole day of air exchanges, the tower

becomes warm in the evenings.

• During the night, cooler ambient air comes in

contact with the bottom of the tower through the
rooms.
Wind tower in Jodhpur Hostel to
catch favorable cool wind from south-
west for passive cooling

Building-integrated chimney in Sudha

and Atam Kumar’s residence in New
Delhi from effective ventillation especially
during humid season.
•The tower walls absorb heat during daytime
and release it at night, warming the cool night
air in the tower.

• Warm air moves up, creating an upward draft,

and draws cool night air through the doors and
windows into the building.

•The system works effectively in hot and dry

climates where fluctuations are high.

•A wind tower works well for individual units not

for multi-storeyed apartments.

•In dense urban areas, the wind tower has to be

long enough to be able to catch enough air.

• Also protection from driving rain is difficult.

 COURTYARD EFFECT

• Due to incident solar radiation in a courtyard, the air gets warmer and rises.

• Cool air from the ground level flows through the louvered openings of rooms
surrounding a courtyard, thus producing air flow.

• At night, the warm roof surfaces get cooled by convection and radiation.

• If this heat exchange reduces roof surface temperature to wet bulb temperature of
air, condensation of atmospheric moisture occurs on the roof and the gain due to
condensation limits further cooling.

Courtyard as a moderator of internal climate

• If the roof surfaces are sloped towards the internal courtyard, the cooled air sinks
into the court and enters the living space through low-level openings, gets warmed
up, and leaves the room through higher-level openings.

• However, care should be taken that the courtyard does not receive intense solar
radiation, which would lead to conduction and radiation heat gains into the
building.
 EARTH AIR TUNNELS
•Daily and annual temperature fluctuations
decrease with the increase in depth below the
ground surface.

•At a depth of about 4 m below ground, the

temperature inside the earth remains nearly
constant round the year and is nearly equal to
the annual average temperature of the place.

•A tunnel in the form of a pipe or otherwise

embedded at a depth of about 4 m below the
ground will acquire the same temperature as the
surrounding earth at its surface.

•Therefore, the ambient air ventilated through

this tunnel will get cooled in summer and
warmed in winter and this air can be used for
cooling in summer and heating in winter.
•This technique has been used in the
composite climate of Gurgaon in RETREAT
building.

•The living quarters (the south block of

RETREAT) are maintained at comfortable
temperatures (approx. 20-30 degree Celsius)
round the year by the earth air tunnel
system, supplemented, whenever required,
with a system of absorption chillers powered
by liquefied natural gas during monsoons
and with an air washer during dry summer.

•However, the cooler air underground needs

to be circulated in the living space. Each
room in the south block has a 'solar
chimney; warm air rises and escapes
through the chimney, which creates an air
current for the cooler air from the
underground tunnels to replace the warm air.

•Two blowers installed in the tunnels speed

up the process.

•The same mechanism supplies warm air

PASSIVE SPACE CONDITIONING
from the tunnel during winter. USING EARTH AIR TUNNEL SYSTEM
 EVAPORATIVE COOLING
• Evaporative cooling lowers indoor air temperature by evaporating water.

• It is effective in hot and dry climate where the atmospheric humidity is low.

• In evaporative cooling, the sensible heat of air is used to evaporate water, thereby
cooling the air, which, in turn, cools the living space of the building.

• Increase in contact between water and air increases the rate of evaporation.

• The presence of a water body such as a pond, lake, and sea near the building or a
fountain in a courtyard can provide a cooling effect.

•The most commonly used system

is a desert cooler, which comprises
water, evaporative pads, a fan, and
pump.

1. Ground cover
2. Water sprinkler
3. Insulated roof
4. Shading trees
5. Water trough
A TYPICAL SECTION SHOWING PASSIVE SOLAR FEATURES OF WALMI BUILDING,BHOPAL
 PASSIVE DOWN DRAUGHT COOLING
•Evaporative cooling has been used for many
centuries in parts of the middle east, notably Iran
and turkey.

•In this system, wind catchers guide outside air over

water-filled pots, inducing evaporation and causing a
significant drop in temperature before the air enters
the interior.

•Such wind catchers become primary elements of

the architectural form also.

•Passive downdraught evaporative cooling is

particularly effective in hot and dry climates. It has
been used to effectively cool the Torrent Research
Centre in Ahmedabad.
DETAILS OF THE PASSIVE DOWN DRAUGHT COOLING INLETS
 EARTH SHELTERED BUILDINGS

ROOF SPRAYS
 Other Technologies
Solar Cookers
Sun can be focused to heat of water and food •
Used in undeveloped countries but modern •
designs are available to the general public

Picture taken from www.tucacas.info/ sunfirecooking/fatimajim.jpg

Others
Shadings and overhangs also reduce the hot •
summer sun, while still allowing winter sun
The optimal window-to-wall area ratio is 25-35%. •

Picture taken from www.ekosbuild.com/

CaseStudies/Overhangs.jpg
THANK YOU