PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING-INTRODUCTION
In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect,
store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar
heat in the summer. unlike active heating systems, it does not involve the use of
mechanical and electrical devices.
The key to design a passive solar building is to best take advantage of the
local climate performing an accurate site analysis. Elements to be considered
include
SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS OF
a) window placement and size, and glazing type, SITE DURING DESIGN
b) thermal insulation, thermal mass, a) Latitude, sun path,
c) shading. and insolation (sunshine)
b) Seasonal variations in solar
gain e.g. cooling or heating
degree days,
solar insolation, humidity
c) Diurnal variations in
temperature
d) Micro-climate details related to
breezes, humidity, vegetation
and land contour
e) Obstructions / Over-
shadowing - to solar gain or
local cross-winds
Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING-INTRODUCTION
HEAT GAIN
The building temperature can be RAISED by
i. Direct Heat gain from sun
SOLAR
ii. Indirect heat gain from sun
iii. Heat gain artificial lights
iv. Heat gain from machineries (if any) INTERNAL
v. Heat gain from occupants

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING-INTRODUCTION
HEAT LOSS
The building temperature can be BROUGHT DOWN by
i. Heat loss through the roof & floor
ii. Heat loss through the walls
iii. Heat loss through the doors & windows Passive solar techniques
iv. Heat loss due to draught needed when
i. Solar heat gains
ii. Internal heat gains
are insufficient to raise
the indoor temperature to
the level required by the
occupants
The balance temperature
can be increased by
i. Increasing building’s
heat gain
ii. Reducing its heat
losses

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING-INTRODUCTION

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
 Dec

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March July Oct
 PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING

INDIRECT GAIN ISOLATEDGAIN

DIRECT GAIN

1. TROMBE WALL THERMAL STORAGE 1. SUNSPACE

1. WINDOWS 2. WATER WALL OF WALLS 2. GREEN HOUSE
2. CLEAR STOREY 3. SURFACE FINISH THERMAL STORAGE
4. ROOF POND OF ROOF
5. CONVECTIVE AIR LOOP

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
DIRECT GAIN Thermal storage mass can consist of a concrete slab,
The direct gain is the most
water containers, an interior masonry wall (a chimney
common passive solar
is ideal), and masonry that together provide the
system in architecture.
correct amount of total mass. With the direct gain
Direct gain is the
system, the thermal storage mass may be thinner and
collection and
more widely distributed in the living space than with
containment of radiant
other passive systems. This allows an even
solar energy within the
distribution of heat throughout the room or rooms, but
occupied space. Sunlight
requires some thought about how the living space will
enters the home through
be used. Don't cover the thermal storage mass with
south-facing windows and
carpet or other materials that will reduce its storage
heats the room. It also
capacity. Select and arrange furnishings carefully so
strikes floors and walls,
they don't interfere with solar collection, storage, and
which absorb, store and
distribution.
reradiate heat to the
home's interior. If heavy
construction materials are
used for these interior
walls, their mass serves
both to minimize drastic
temperature changes from
night to day and to store
the heat energy for sunless
periods. Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
DIRECT GAIN
The Direct gain is the simplest
approach and usually the most
economical to build. With this
system, sunlight enters the
house through large areas of
south-facing glass. It heats the
floor and walls directly. Energy
from the mass in floors and
walls is released to the living
space when the inside air
temperature is lower than that
of the mass. 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 sun's
energy striking the windows. Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
DIRECT GAIN
REQUIREMENTS OF DIRECT GAIN SYSTEM
a. Large south facing glazed (collector) area, with the living space exposed
directly behind.
b. Window area should be 8-12% of the room floor area if no extra thermal
mass is added.
c. Window area can be increased if additional thermal mass is added.
d. Overhangs should be provided to prevent unwanted solar gain

DIRECT GAIN SYSTEM RULES OF THUMB

i. A heat load analysis of the house should be conducted.
ii. Do not exceed 6 inches of thickness in thermal mass materials.
iii. Do not cover thermal mass floors with wall to wall carpeting; keep as bare as
functionally and aesthetically possible.
iv. Use a medium dark color for masonry floors; use light colors for other
lightweight walls; thermal mass walls can be any color.
v. For every square foot of south glass, use 150 pounds of masonry or 4 gallons
of water for thermal mass.
vi. Fill the cavities of any concrete block used as thermal storage with concrete.

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
DIRECT GAIN
The amount of south-facing glass and thermal storage mass should be balanced.
If the windows collect more heat than the floor or walls can absorb, overheating
occurs. Since the direct gain system is part of the living space, this can be
uncomfortable for those living in the house.
Shading is needed to
reduce heat gain in the
summer. Overhangs,
awnings, trellises,
louvers, solar screens, and
movable insulation are
some choices. Most
designers recommend
exterior shading rather
than interior shading
because exterior screens
and other devices stop
heat before it gets into the
house. The overhang lets
in the winter sun while
shading south facing
glass in the summer.
Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
DIRECT GAIN
Clerestory windows
and skylights are
sometimes used to
increase the amount
of sunlight hitting
the back area of walls
or floors. They can
help improve the
performance of the
direct gain system.
Skylights, however,
tend to create
overheating
problems in the
summer and may
leak if improperly
installed. Clerestory
windows in a direct
gain system let
sunlight strike the
thermal mass on the
back wall.
Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
DIRECT GAIN
ADVANTAGES
i. It is comparatively low in cost to build, since no special room has to be added.
The floor, walls, or even an inside-wall fireplace can serve as the storage
mass. The solar elements are incorporated into the living space.
ii. It provides direct heating. There is no need to transfer energy from one area to
another. South-facing windows provide natural daylight and outdoor views.
iii. The number and size of south-facing windows can be adjusted to match the
space you have for thermal mass. Clerestory windows can let sunlight fall
directly on the back parts of floors or walls used as thermal mass

DISADVANTAGES
i. It can overheat if the windows and thermal mass are not balanced.
ii. Large amounts of south-facing glass can cause problems with excessive heat
gain/ heat loss glare and loss of privacy.
iii. The thermal mass used for heat storage should not be covered by carpet or
blocked by furnishings.
iv. Furnishings and fabrics exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun can
degrade or change color.
v. There is a chance of getting skin diseases if the occupants are exposed to
harmful UV rays from sun

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
TROMBE WALL Trombe walls are a very useful passive heating
A Trombe wall is a system system. They require little or no effort to operate, and
for indirect solar heat gain are ideal for spaces where silence and privacy are
and, although not desirable. Sunspaces are equally simple and silent, and
extremely common, is a can allow views. Rooms heated by a Trombe wall or
good example of thermal sunspace often feel more comfortable than those heated
mass, solar gain, and by forced-air systems, even at lower air temperatures,
glazing properties used because of the radiantly warm surface of the wall.
together to achieve human A successful
comfort goals passively. Trombe wall
It consists of a dark or attached
colored wall of sunspace
high thermal mass facing optimizes
the sun, with glazing heat gain
spaced in front to leave a and
small air space. The minimizes
glazing traps solar heat loss
radiation like a small during cold
greenhouse. An attached times, and
sunspace is essentially a avoids
Trombe wall where the air excess heat
space is so big it is gain in hot
habitable. times. Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
TROMBE WALL
Trombe walls are thermal storage walls, named after the French inventor Felix
Trombe. A typical Trombe wall consists of a 20 - 40cm (8" - 16") thick masonry wall
painted a dark, heat-absorbing color and faced with a single or double layer of glass.
The glass is placed between 2 - 15cm (1" - 6") away from the masonry wall to create a
small airspace. Heat from sunlight passing through the glass is absorbed by the dark
surface, stored in the wall, and conducted slowly inward through the masonry.

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
TROMBE WALL
Trombe walls are thermal storage walls, named after the French inventor Felix
Trombe. A typical Trombe wall consists of a 20 - 40cm (8" - 16") thick masonry wall
painted a dark, heat-absorbing color and faced with a single or double layer of glass.
The glass is placed between 2 - 15cm (1" - 6") away from the masonry wall to create a
small airspace. Heat from sunlight passing through the glass is absorbed by the dark
surface, stored in the wall, and conducted slowly inward through the masonry.
For a 40cm (16") thick The glass
Trombe wall, heat will prevents the
take about 8 to 10 escape of
hours to reach the radiant heat
interior of the from the warm
building. This means surface of the
that the room behind storage wall.
remains comfortable The heat
through the day and radiated by the
receives slow, even wall is therefore
heating for many trapped within
hours after the sun the air gap,
sets. Such designs are further heating
ideal for use in the wall surface.
residential living areas
and bedrooms. Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
TROMBE WALL
In addition to radiant heat, you can also configure Trombe walls to heat air within
the internal space. Including upper and lower air vents in the wall allows
convection currents, as cooler air from the room enters at the bottom and air
heated in the Trombe wall escapes into the room at the top. These vents must be
operable to prevent reverse convention currents occurring at night, which would
cool the occupied space. Operable vents also allow the occupants control over
instantaneous heating.

A vented Trombe wall heats air convectively Vents can be shut at night to keep the
as well as heating the space radiatively. convection loop moving the right direction
Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
TROMBE WALL
AVOIDING LOSSES
Using low-E glazing can prevent heat from re-
radiating out through the glass of a Trombe wall
and greatly reduce the amount of heat lost.
Applying a spectrally selective surface or low-E
coating to the wall itself can also improve
performance by reducing the amount of infrared
energy radiated towards the glass.

ADAPTING TO DAY & HOT SEASON

To avoid overheating at hot times of day or hot
seasons of the year, we can use Trombe walls in
conjunction with overhangs, eaves, and other
building design elements to evenly balance solar
heat delivery.
Ideally, the glazing should have exterior insulating
shutters for nighttime use in order to prevent the
heat gained from being returned back to the
outside.

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
TROMBE WALL
SOLAR CHIMNEY
During hot seasons, a Trombe wall or
sunspace with vents through it can be
used as a thermosiphon. If vents are
placed at the top of the glazing, then air
from the room will be pulled out by
convection in the air gap between
glazing and mass wall. This form of
passive ventilation is called a solar
chimney.
Eg: KELBAUGH HOUSE IN PRINCETON, NJ

combination of Trombe wall & green house Direct gain & sunspace
Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
WATER WALLS
Instead of using
masonry, water can be
used as the thermal mass
of a Trombe wall or
sunspace. Due to
convection currents
within the water itself,
heat is transferred
through the entire
thermal mass much
quicker than a masonry
wall that relies solely on
conduction. This can be
useful when a shorter
delay in heat delivery is
required.
Such systems can not The requirements for the water wall are again a large
only bring heat into a glazed area and an adjacent massive heat storage.
space, they can be
translucent to bring light However , the storage is now water, or another liquid,
in as well. When using a contained in a variety of containers, each representing
water Trombe wall, it is different heat exchange surface-to-storage mass ratios.
better to seal the air Larger storage volumes provide greater and longer-term
between the glass and
wall, to further increase heat storage capacity , while smaller container volumes
the surface temperature provide greater heat exchange surfaces and thus faster
of the wall. distribution . Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
WATER WALLS

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
SURFACE COLOR AND HOT ROOF
The amount of sunlight
absorbed by a material
(and thus converted to
heat) depends on its color.
Light colored surfaces
will bounce light around
within the space,
distributing it over a
greater number of
surfaces. Dark colored
materials will absorb
most of the incident
energy as soon as it
strikes. Both of these can
be useful, depending on
the situation.
Dark colored roof absorbs
heat during day and
releases the radiation at
night

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
ROOF POND
A special system works with a layer of bags (15-20 cm) containing water that are
placed on the roof and are covered with movable insulating panels (5-10 cm), which
appear to regulate the internal temperature at comfort level.
In winter, these panels are
opened during the day to
allow the bags to absorb heat
from solar radiation and to
allow heat to be stored,
while at night the insulation
panels are closed to insulate
the bags from outside cold

In summer, these panels are

closed during the day to
insulate the bags from solar
radiation and to allow heat
to be drawn from inside,
while at night the
insulation is removed to
allow the water to radiate
heat to the night sky.
Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
SUNSPACE or SOLARIUM
Attached
sunspaces (also
called
"conservatories")
work much like
vented Trombe
walls. They can
heat spaces both
through
radiation and
convection. The
difference is that
the space
between the
glass and the
thermal mass
creates a
habitable space.

A sunspace with vents for convective heating as well as radiative heating

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
SUNSPACE
Sunspaces are
primarily used for
indirect solar heat
gain and generally
have more glazing
area than floor
area. Nighttime
heat loss is not as
critical in a
sunspace as in
direct gain systems,
since the room can
be closed off from
the rest of the
building. However
, night insulation or
double-glazing is
recommended if
the sunspace serves
as living space after
sundown.
The same sunspace at night, with vents closed, to keep convection
going the proper direction
Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
SUNSPACE

Designing Sunspaces
Important considerations for sunspace design are:
•In very cold climates, double glazing reduces conductive losses
through the glass to the outside.
•Insulated panels, shades, or blinds are more important for sunspaces
than for Trombe walls, as sunspaces are sometimes occupied.
•As with Trombe walls, the darker the internal surfaces of the
sunspace, the more effectively the thermal mass can store heat during
the day.
•Do not overpopulate conservatories with vegetation, as foliage can
reduce the system's heat capture by significantly shading the floor
and wall.
•For all climates except those with very cool summers, operable or
mechanized windows should be considered at top and
bottom. These allow the sun space to avoid overheating by passively
venting hot air out the top of the glazing and pulling cool air in
through the bottom of the glazing.

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
GREEN HOUSE

A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with additional heating, a hothouse)

is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of transparent material such as glass
in which plants requiring regulated climatic conditions are grown.[3]These
structures range in size from small sheds to industrial-sized buildings. The interior
of a greenhouse exposed to sunlight becomes significantly warmer than the
external ambient temperature, protecting its contents in cold weather.

The explanation given in most sources for the warmer temperature in a greenhouse
is that incident solar radiation in the visible, long-wavelength ultraviolet, and short-
wavelength infrared range of the spectrum passes through the glass roof and walls
and is absorbed by the floor, earth, and contents, which become warmer and re-
emit the energy as longer-wavelength infrared radiation. Glass and other materials
used for greenhouse walls do not transmit infrared radiation, so the infrared cannot
escape via radiative transfer. As the structure is not open to the atmosphere, heat
also cannot escape via convection, so the temperature inside the greenhouse rises.
This is known as the “Greenhouse effect”.The greenhouse effect, due to infrared-
opaque “greenhouse gases" including carbon dioxide and methane instead of glass,
also affects the earth as a whole; there is no convective cooling as air does not
escape from the earth.
Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
GREEN HOUSE

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
GREEN HOUSE

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
GREEN HOUSE

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
ROOF RADIATION TRAP
The Roof Radiation Trap utilizes solar energy for heating of buildings in
winter and nocturnal radiation for cooling in summer. The radiation trap
consists of fixed insulating layer separated from the flat roof and glazing,
protected by hinged insulating panel, in the southern gap between the roof
and the fixed insulation. This fixed insulating layer is covered by
corrugated metal sheets, painted white, which serve as nocturnal radiators
in summer. The radiation trap is integrated with the building, thermally as
well as architecturally. In winter the sun energy penetrates through the
glazing and is absorbed directly in the roof, which serves as a combined
collector, storage for one night and heat distribution system. The hot air in
the space between the flat roof and the fixed insulation is blown into a
thermal storage of gravel, under the floor or inside the building. The stored
heat is “recovered” by forced convection during cloudy days. Thus in
winter the concrete roof acts as Horizontal Trombe wall. In summer the
penetration of solar radiation during daytime is prevented by the hinged
insulating panel. At night the painted external metal layer is cooled by
outgoing radiation and the air under the corrugations is blown into the
space of the radiation trap and cools the roof, which, in turn, serves as a
heat sink during the next day. Nocturnal evaporative cooling can
supplement the radiant cooling.
Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
ROOF RADIATION TRAP

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
ROOF RADIATION TRAP

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch
ROOF RADIATION TRAP

Ar.Mujahirudeen, M.Arch