The 5 Passive design principles in solar heating

Using the design principles in solar heating to benefit from direct solar gain indirect solar gain and isolated solar gain is key to a successful solar design. There are five elements to passive solar design.

Each is separate but all must work together to ensure it works. They include.

The sunlight enters the house via the aperture area which is the glass or windows in the house.

The best sun is within 25 degrees of true south.

All other area will contribute to sunlight during the day but southern windows are generally the best collectors.

When designing the collector area make sure that the windows are not subject to shade or blocked by shadow.

The Absorber area in the house.

When the sunlight enters it is absorbed as heat.

This area may be a dark wall water floor etc.

The absorber is in the direct line of the sunlight.

The Thermal mass of the house.

This is the material that retains the sunlight that is absorbed and keeps the heat by allowing the thermal mass to heat up.

The greater the thermal mass the better the heat retention.

Remember the absorbed area refers to the exposed surface of the thermal mass.

Heat Distribution

This is the method by which the heat is distributed in the house.

In a passive design the heat is distributed by the normal natural transfer methods convection conduction and radiation.

Sometimes the use of fans assists the movement of heat by convection.

Solar Control

This essentially is how the sunlight is controlled in the summer or hot season. Awnings over hangs blinds and fans control the heat in the summer by preventing heat build up or dissipating the heat.