questions

1. What is direct gain

2. What are the shading strategies for east and west
elevations?
3. Sketch a trombe wall.
4. What is water trombe wall
5. How does roof pond work?
6. What are disadvantages of roof pond?
7. Sketch passive heating and passive cooling techniques
(slide 69)
8. What are advantages of passive solar design (89)
9. What is isolated gain (90)
 PASSIVE HEATING
INTRODUCTION
DIRECT GAIN SYSTEM
INDIRECT GAIN SYSTEM - Trombe wall, Roof Pond
ISOLATED GAIN SYSTEM – Sunspace(Solarium)
COMPARISON OF PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING
SYSTEM
SYSTEM COMBINATION
HYBRID SYSTEM
ROOF RADIATION TRAP
Passive Solar Heating
Passive solar design uses sunshine to heat and
light homes and other buildings without
mechanical or electrical devices . Heating the
building through the use of solar energy involves
the absorption and storage of incoming solar
radiation, which is then used to meet the heating
requirements of the space .
 Passive Solar Design
• Passive solar heating is defined as using solar energy
incident on windows, skylights, greenhouses, in order to
provide heating for a house.
• Generally such solar collection occurs passively, without the
extensive use of pumps or fans typically used in active solar
collector systems.
• However, the distribution of the energy collected
sometimes uses small fans to redistribute the energy
throughout the house. Because heating is needed only over
the colder part of the year.
• Passive solar design must also eliminate unwanted solar
heat gains during the summer. The use of techniques to
eliminate solar gains and to cool a house with the use of
active systems is often referred to as passive cooling.
 INTRODUCTION BUILDING SYSTEMS
PASSIVE HYBRID ACTIVE
Energy Collection and Storage Energy Collection and Storage Energy Collection and Storage
is by NATURAL means can be by NATURAL means is by Forced means

Energy distribution is by Energy distribution from Energy distribution is by

natural means COLLECTOR to STORAGE to forced
LIVING SPACE is by
mechanical means
The system mostly works The system uses External The system works only with
without External Power Power External Power

Daylight is extensively used Daylight is extensively used Less use of Daylight

Passive heating and cooling Passive Heating and cooling Heating and cooling systems
can be inherent (inbuilt) in can be inherent in the and their controls are not an
the building construction building construction integral part of the building
SOLAR PASSIVE SYSTEM
 SOLAR PASSIVE SYSTEMS
• Advanced passive heating techniques are used by
architects in building design to achieve thermal
comfort conditions in cold climate.
• Passive solar heating systems can be broadly classified
as:
 DIRECT GAIN SYSTEM
 INDIRECT GAIN SYSTEM – TROMBE WALL, ROOF
POND
 ISOLATED GAIN SYSTEM – SUNSPACE
(SOLARIUM), Greenhouse
 SYSTEM COMBINATIONS
 HYBRID SYSTEMS
Basic techniques to maximize solar heat gain in winter and
minimize it in summer.
• elongate the building along the east-west axis to maximize
the south-facing elevation and the number of south-facing
windows that can be incorporated.
• Select, orient, and size of glass to optimize winter heat gain
and minimize summer heat gain for the specific climate.
• Consider selecting different glazing for different sides of the
house (exposures).
• south-facing overhangs to shade windows in summer and
allow solar gain in winter.
• Add thermal mass in walls or floors for heat storage.
• Use natural ventilation to reduce or eliminate
cooling needs.
• Use daylight to provide natural lighting.
• Use passive solar heating strategies only when they
are appropriate. Passive solar heating works better
in smaller buildings where the envelope design
controls the energy demand.
• Specify windows and glazings that have low thermal
transmittance values (U values).
• Design for natural ventilation in summer with
operable windows designed for cross ventilation.
• Plan active living or working areas on the south and
less frequently used spaces, such as storage and
bathrooms, on the north.
• Include overhangs or other devices, such as trellises
( an outdoor garden frame which can be used to
grow climbing plants) or deciduous trees, for
shading in summer.
• Make sure there is adequate quantity of thermal
mass.
• Design to avoid sun glare. Room and furniture
layouts needs to be planned to avoid glare from the
sun on equipment such as computers and
televisions.
 Passive solar heating techniques
Three categories of passive solar heating techniques
Direct gain is
• solar radiation that directly penetrates and is stored in the
living space.
Indirect gain
• collects, stores, and distributes solar radiation using some
thermal storage material (e.g., Trombé wall). Conduction,
radiation, or convection then transfers the energy indoors.
Isolated gain systems (e.g., sunspace)
• collect solar radiation in an area that can be selectively
closed off or opened to the rest of the house.
Direct Gain, Indirect Gain, and Isolated Gain
DIRECT GAIN

• The most common passive solar system is called

direct gain. Direct gain refers to the sunlight
that enters a building through windows,
warming the interior space.
• direct gain system includes south-facing
windows.
• Direct gain systems are probably the least costly
passive system.
Direct Gain
 Direct Gain Passive Solar Design
• Surfaces should be generally
facing south • PRECAUTIONS
• Overhangs should prevent • Excess window area can
unwanted summer gains (2 ft result in a loss of
typical ) privacy, too much glare,
• Window area should be 8-12% and overheating
of the house floor area if no • Movable insulation
extra thermal mass is added should be designed to
• This amount of passive solar be easy to install and
gain should provide no more use
than 40-50% of the yearly
heating load
 DIRECT GAIN
• Most common passive solar solution
• SUN----LIVING SPACE ----STORAGE MASS
• Actual Living space is directly heated by the sun and serves as a LIVE-IN Collector
• In this system, sunlight enters rooms through windows, warming the interior space.
• The glazing system is generally located on the southern side to receive maximum
sunlight during winter (in the northern hemisphere).
• The glazing system is usually double-glazed, with insulating curtains to reduce heat
loss during night. South-facing glass admits solar energy into the building, where it
strikes thermal storage materials such as floors or walls made of adobe, brick,
concrete, stone, or water.
• The direct gain system uses 60-75% of the sun’s energy
striking the windows.
• The interior thermal mass absorbs heat during the day.
At night, the thermal mass radiates heat into the living
space, thus warming the spaces.
• Direct gain can be achieved by various forms of
openings such as clerestories, skylight windows, etc.
designed for the required heating. Direct gain systems
have some limitations.
• Strong sunlight, glare, and ultraviolet degradation of
the house material are some disadvantages of direct
gain systems.
• However, being relatively simple to construct and
inexpensive, they are by far the most common systems
used world wide.
A Simple Direct Gain Home
 Thermal Mass
• If solar heat is to be used when the sun is not
shining, excess heat must be stored. Thermal
mass, or materials used to store heat, is an
integral part of most passive solar design.
They are the materials with a high capacity for
absorbing and storing heat (e.g., brick,
concrete masonry, concrete slab, tile, adobe,
water).
Thermal Mass
Direct gain – water wall
• Water contained within
plastic or metal containment
and placed in the direct path
of the sun's rays has the
advantage of heating more
quickly and more evenly than
masonry walls during the
convection process.
• The convection process also
prevents surface
temperatures from becoming
too extreme as they
sometimes do when dark
colored masonry surfaces
receive direct sunlight
 Direct gain- diffusing glazing
• The masonry heating problem can be alleviated by using a
glazing material that scatters sunlight so that it is more
evenly distributed over walls, ceiling, and floor storage
masses
• This decreases the intensity of rays reaching any single
surface but does not reduce the amount of solar energy
entering the space.
 Interior Space Planing
• Planning room lay out by considering how the
rooms will be used in different seasons, and at
different times of the day, can save energy and
increase comfort.
• In general, living areas and other high-activity
rooms should be located on the south side to
benefit from the solar heat.
• Clustering baths, kitchens and laundry rooms near
the water heater will save the heat that would be
lost from longer water lines.
• Another general principle is that an open floor plan
will allow the collected solar heat to circulate freely
through natural convection.
 Main Considerations
• Surface Colour The amount of heat storage depends
on the amount of exposed thermal mass within the
space, and its colour. Light coloured surfaces will reflect
light around within the space, distributing it over a
greater number of surfaces. Dark coloured materials
will absorb most of the incident energy as soon as it
strikes.
• Thermal Conductivity Highly conducting materials will
quickly transfer any heat build away from the surface
deeper into the material resulting in less instantaneous
re-radiation back into the space. In a poorly conductive
material, however, the surface will heat up more and
will quickly re-radiate most of the heat back into the
space.
• Protection From Losses It is important
to note that the same large areas of
glazing that let heat in during the day
can also readily let heat out at night.
Thus, some form of night-time
protection should be incorporated to
minimise any conduction and
convection losses through windows.
Thick drawn curtains/ blinds can be
used.
 Site Planning for Solar Access
• The main objective of site planning for passive
solar homes is to allow the south side as much
unshaded exposure as possible during the
winter months. A good design balances energy
performance with other important factors such
as, the slope of the site, the individual house
plan, the direction of prevailing breezes for
summer cooling, the views, the street lay out
and so on.
• Buildings, trees, or other obstructions should
not be located so as to shade the south wall of
solar buildings.
 Site Plan
Don’t shade the south, except for overhangs, but do shade the east
and west sides. Decks, porches and car parks also may be shaded
Overhangs on the South Side
Simple Patio Provides Shading to the
south side
Clerestory is also direct gain
• Excellent for bringing
daylighting to
northern spaces (deep
houses)
• Overhang over
clerestory window
shades in summer
Clearstories
• windows located at roof level.
• Their advantages are that they allow diffuse lighting
into a room; they provide privacy; and they can be
placed almost anywhere on a roof.
• In a compartmentalized building layout, each room
can have its own source of heat and light.
• They should be located at a distance from a thermal
storage wall that allows direct sunlight to hit the
wall throughout the winter.
• clerestories can be used to • Skylights provide an alternative
provide sunshine onto interior for direct solar gain, shading
walls which would normally not devices must be included as an
have a clear view of winter integral part of the skylight to
sunlight. prevent overheating the space
during mild periods.
Example of Clerestory House
LIGHT CAN BE USED
TO REVEAL
EXPERIENCE,
SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY,
WASHINGTON BY
ARCHITECT REM
KOOLHAAS
 3. 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. Using a Trombe wall is the most common
indirect-gain approach. The wall consists of an 20 to 40 cm-
thick masonry wall on the south side of a house. A single or
double layer of glass is mounted and the air gap between
the wall and glazing is 50-150mm, and the total area of
each row of vent is about 1% of the storage wall area. The
trombe wall should be adequately shaded for reducing
summer gains. Solar heat is absorbed by the wall's dark-
colored outside surface and stored in the wall's mass,
where it radiates into the living space.
There are two types of
indirect gain systems:
Thermal storage wall systems (Trombe
Walls)
Roof pond systems
 INDIRECT GAIN – TROMBE WALL
• A trombe wall is a technique used to capture solar heat that was
developed by French engineer Felix Trombe.
• A Trombe wall is a passive solar building design where a wall is built
on the winter sun side of a building with a glass external layer and a
high heat capacity internal layer separated by a layer of air.
• Range of storage Materials includes CONCRETE, ADOBE, STONE,
BRICK, AND even WATER
• TROMBE WALLS
1. A trombe wall is a thermally massive wall with vents
provided at the top and bottom.
2. It may be made of concrete, masonry, adobe, and is
usually located on the southern side (in the northern
hemisphere) of a building in order to maximize solar
gains.
3. The outer surface of the wall is usually painted black
for maximizing absorption and the wall is directly
placed behind glazing with an air gap in between.
4. Solar radiation is absorbed by the wall during the day
and stored as sensible heat.
5. The air in the space between the glazing and the wall
gets heated up and enters the living spaces by
convection through the vents. Cool air from the rooms
replaces this air, thus setting up a convection current.
• Radiant distribution from a storage mass to an
occupied space can be almost immediate, or it
can be delayed up to 12 hours, depending on the
depth and time lag property of the storage
material chosen.
• Distribution of air by natural convection is also
viable with the mass wall system since the
volume of air in the intervening space between
glazing and storage mass is being heated to high
temperatures and seeks constant means of
escape.
 Thermal Storage Walls or Trombe
Walls
• Advantages: • Precautions:
• Lowers temperature • More expensive and less
swings in room efficient
• Vents allow partition of • More difficult to reduce
energy into daytime and nighttime losses
nighttime heating • Best for sunnier climates
• Occupies valuable space
in building
Trombe Wall Venting in Summer
At night the vents
can be closed to
keep cold air out
and the interior
space is then
heated by the
storage mass,
which gives up its
heat by radiation
as the room
cools.
Passive Heating
Direct Gain Thermal Storage Suns pace
W all

Passive Cooling
Shading Ve nt ilat ion Earth Contact
INDIRECT GAIN SYSTEM – WATER WALL
WATER WALLS
• Water walls are based on the same principle as
that for trombe walls, except that they employ
water as the thermal storage material.
• A water wall is a thermal storage wall made up
of drums of water stacked up behind glazing. It is
usually painted black to increase heat
absorption.
• It is more effective in reducing temperature
swings, but the time lag is less.
• Heat transfer through water walls is much
faster than that for trombe walls.
• Therefore, distribution of heat needs to be
controlled
• Buildings that work during the daytime, such as
schools and offices, benefit from the rapid heat
transfer in the water wall.
• Overheating during summer may be prevented
by using suitable shading devices.
Water trombe wall
• Water walls used in this
way need not be vented at
top and bottom and can be
constructed in many ways -
specially constructed
plastic or sealed concrete
containers.
• Again, as the water is
heated, the convection
process quickly distributes
the heat throughout the
mass and the interior
space is warmed by heat
radiated from the wall.
 Indirect gain system rules
• The exterior of the mass wall (toward the sun) should be
a dark color.
• Use a minimum space of 10 cm between the thermal
mass wall and the glass.
• Vents used in a thermal mass wall must be closed at
night.
• Thermal wall thickness should be approximately
75-110 cm for concrete,
60-85 cm for brick,
50-75 cm for adobe or other earth material and
at least 35 cm for water.
 Flat Plate Collector

• Solar
Collectors
heat fluid and
the heated
fluid heats
the space
either directly
or indirectly
 Roof pond
• In the roof pond building type, the passive collector storage
mass has been relocated, from wall of the building, into the
roof , for radiant heat distribution to the occupied space.
• The roof pond systems requires a body of water to be located
in the roof, protected and controlled by exterior movable
insulation. This body of water is exposed to direct solar gain,
which it absorbs and stores. Since thermal storage is the
ceiling of the building, it will radiate uniform low-temperature
heat to the entire layout .
• Distribution of solar heat from the roof pond is by radiation
only, so proximity of the ceiling to the individual being
warmed is important since radiation density drops off with
distance.
• After having cooled down on summer evenings by exposure
to the night air, the ceiling water mass can then draw
unwanted heat from the living and working spaces during the
day, to provide passive cooling.
Roof pond

• A roof pond uses a store

of water above the roof to
mediate internal
temperatures, usually in
hot desert environments
• This system is best for
cooling in low humidity
climates.
PASSIVE HEATING DURING WINTER
PASSIVE COOLING DURING SUMMER
 Disadvantages.
• Open roof ponds are difficult to maintain and
require an absolutely watertight and costly roof
construction. Shortage of water in arid zones is
another disadvantage.
• However, it is a complicated and expensive solution
which also requires the daily attention of the users.
• Weight of the water and potential water leakage
• No one has been able to develop a workable,
movable insulation system for the roof
Roof pond cooling in summer
Roof pond heating in winter
• 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).
• 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. In winter the process
is reversed.
 INDIRECT GAIN SYSTEM – ROOF POND
• A thermal Storage Roof
• In this roof pond system, water is
stored in black plastic bags on a
metal deck roof and during a
winter day the sun heats the
water bags
• The heat is quickly conducted
down and radiated from the
ceiling into the living space
• At night, movable insulation
covers the water to keep the heat
from being lost to the night sky
• Not only heats passively in winter
but also passive cooling in the
summer.
 Characteristic of Indirect Gain Passive
System – ROOF POND SYSTEM

• A body of water – “ROOF POND” located in the roof.

• A provision to protect the pond by exterior movable
insulation to reduce heat loss in winter and heat
gain in summer
• A provision of cover to stop loss of water due to
evaporation
 Characteristic of Indirect Gain Passive
System – MASS WALL
• A large south-facing Glazed area to admit Maximum
useful radiation
• A storage Mass (Masonry, water wall etc) directly
behind the collector
• A provision of External movable insulation to
reduce wasteful heat loss during night in winters
• A provision of preventing unwanted heating of the
storage mass by shading the glazed area in summer
• A provision for suitable vent at the top of glazed
area to provide induced ventilation for summer
cooling of the living space
 Isolated Gains
• Isolated gain, or sunspace, passive heating collects
the sunlight in an area that can be closed off from
the rest of the building.
• The doors or windows between the sunspace and
the building are opened during the day to circulate
collected heat, and then closed at night, allowing
the temperature in the sunspace to drop.
Main Functions of Sunspaces
Auxiliary Heating
To Grow Plants
Sunspaces
 Main Considerations
• Siting: A sunspace generally faces south.
• Heat Distribution: Warm air can be blown through
ductwork to other living areas. It can also move passively
from the sunspace into the house through doors, vents, or
open windows between the sunspace and the interior
living space.
• Glazing: Sloped or Vertical? Although sloped glazing
collects more heat in the winter, many designers prefer
vertical glazing or a combination of vertical and sloped
glazing. Sloped glazing loses more heat at night and can
cause overheating in warmer weather. Vertical glazing
allows maximum gain in winter, when the angle of the sun
is low, and less heat gain as the sun rises toward its
summer zenith
 Cost
• Passive solar technology may still be new to many
designers and builders. So you're sometimes
required to pay extra for them to master unfamiliar
design and construction details. But if you're lucky
enough to be working with an experienced solar
designer and builder who are committed to
excellence, a passive solar home may cost no more
than a conventional one or even less in some
situations. Also, properly sized heating equipment,
which are typically smaller in passive solar homes,
will sometimes offset the cost of the passive solar
features.
 The Advantages of Passive Solar
Design
• High energy performance: lower energy bills all year
round.
• Investment: independent from future rises in fuel costs,
continues to save money long after initial cost recovery.
• Value: high owner satisfaction, high resale value
• Attractive living environment: large windows and views,
sunny interiors, open floor plans
• Low Maintenance: durable, reduced operation and repair
• Unwavering comfort: quiet (no operating noise), warmer
in winter, cooler in summer (even during a power failure)
• Environmentally friendly: clean, renewable energy doesn't
contribute to global warming, acid rain or air pollution .
SUNSPACE
ISOLATED GAIN
 A sun space or solarium is the combination of direct and indirect gain
systems.
 The solar radiation heats up the sun space directly, which in turn heats up
the living space (separated from the sun space by a mass wall) by
convection and conduction through the mass wall.
 In the northern hemisphere, the basic requirements of buildings heated by
sun space are (a) a glazed south facing collector space and (b) living space
separated from the sun space by a thermal storage wall.
 Sunspaces may be used as winter gardens adjacent to the living space.
 Characteristic of Isolated Gain Passive
System
• A provision of “SUNSPACE” to collect solar energy.
This space is isolated from the living space
• The size of the sunspace can be variable in size. It
may extend upto full size of the south exposure
• A provision of movable insulation to prevent
unnecessary heat losses on winter nights or cloudy
days
• A provision of shade to prevent overheating of
glazed spaces during the summer.
 Green house
effect or
Sunspace
Concept
• Greenhouse
effect as well as
the direct gain
storage wall.
• The thermal wall
absorbs heat at
the same time
the interior
space of the
greenhouse is
being heated.
SUNSPACE CONCEPT
with mass wall added
WINTER CONDITION
 Attached Greenhouses or Sunspaces

• Advantages:
• Lower temperature swings in
adjacent living space
• Flexible operation
• Provides additional living or
growing space
• Works well in late winter and
spring when standard • Precautions:
overhangs block direct gain
through windows • Price moderate to high
• Thermal performance
depends greatly on how
it is operated
 Convective Loop Heaters
• Advantages: • Precautions:
• Reduces glare and • Not a normal part of the
protects privacy façade of houses
• Inexpensive and easy to
• Good design and
incorporate into existing
homes construction needed to
ensure proper airflow and
• Can be isolated from the
living space at night thermal isolation at night
• No thermal mass needed
if area < 10% of floor area
Window Convective Loop Heater
 Thermal Storage Roofs
• Advantages: • Precautions:
• Provides both heating and • Structural support for
cooling heavy mass expensive
• Provides low temperature • Most easily used in 1 story
swing in the building buildings
• Can provide 100% of • Least acceptable design in
heating and cooling in earthquake prone areas
milder climates
Thermal Roof Concept
SUMMER

WINTER
ISOLATED GAIN
• The isolated gain design
approach uses a fluid
(liquid or air) to collect
heat in a flat plate solar
collector attached to the
structure.
• Heat is transferred through
ducts or pipes by natural
convection to a storage
area - comprised of a bin
(for air) or a tank (for
liquid), where the collected
cooler air or water is
displaced and forced back
to the collector.
 Other strategies
• a north facing exterior wall will receive little sunlight during
the winter and this will be a major source of heat loss since
heat always moves toward cold.
• the building should be shaped so that the roof slopes
downward from the south to the north wall. This reduces
the height of the north face of the building and therefore
the area through which heat is lost
 INDOOR SPACE PLANNING
• Habitable spaces that are most occupied and have the greatest
heating and lighting requirement should be arrayed along the south
face of the building.
• Rooms that are least used (closets, storage areas, garages) should be
placed along the north wall where they can act as a buffer between
high use living space and the cold north side
ENTRY WAYS
• To reduce both direct and infiltration losses, entryways
should be recessed or protected against the direct force of
prevailing winds. Additional loss reduction can be
accomplished by providing an enclosed interior "air lock"
space between an entrance door and the main building.
WINDOWS
• The major expanse of windows in a passive solar energy
structure will be south facing solar windows
• For the most part, window areas on east, west and north
facing walls should be kept as small and as minimal as is
consistent with interior requirements and should be
recessed and all should be double-glazed.
High Mass Adobe House
Direct Gain Solar House
Adobe Sunspace High Mass House
Sunspace
ADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE

Promotes the use of large windows. Too much light ,which can cause
Least expensive glare and fading of colours
Most efficient Thermal-storage floors must not be
Effectively used clearstories, daylighting and covered with carpets
heating can be combined ,which makes it Only few and small paintings can
appropriate for schools, small offices etc. be hung on thermal mass walls.
Very flexible. Over heating can occur if
precautions not taken.

Gives high level of thermal comfort More expensive than direct gain
Medium cost Less glazing available for views
Good for large heating load and day lighting.

A very attractive amenity Most expensive

Extra living space Least efficient
Can function as greenhouse
 ROOF RADIATION TRAP
• The glazing on the roof is tilted
to maximize winter collection
at any latitude (Tilt = latitude +
15o)
• After passing through the
glazing, the solar radiation is
absorbed by the black painted
concrete ceiling slab.

 The building is heated by radiation from the ceiling.

 The sloped roof is well insulated and a movable shutter can reduce
heat loss through the glass at night.
•
GREEN HOUSE EFFECT
The greenhouse acts as a solar collector, building up the sun-heated air.
• The air circulates by natural convection to an insulated earth bed, where it is stored and can
be retrieved when needed
• Architect Lee Porter Butler designed this house in Tennessee for interior climate control by
natural means through cold and hot seasons
• Vents and dampers direct solar heated air into the rooms to warm them or force summer
heat out through the top of the house to cool it
The angle of the balcony is
calculated so that the summer
sun misses the house interiors.
The bed of earth rock, as well as a
water pool beneath the house,
act as reservoirs to provide heat
in winter and cool air in summer.
In addition, intake vents in the
earth bring air through the ducts
into the house, routing it thro the
house interiors for summer air
cooling
Vestibule – airlock between two environments/ entryway.