Passive solar for Passive Houses

Passive solar is the collection of solar energy in the floors and walls of a building which radiate the heat in the evening time.

The storage of solar heat is the simplest and most effective way of using the energy of the sun to work in your home.

Storing the heat in a building is using it's thermal mass.

The five passive solar principles are in many ways just common sense and have been used for centuries in warming buildings

The solar energy doesn’t need anything other than the correct alignment of the glazing and a building mass to store the energy.

The mass is usually block work or concrete walls and concrete floors.

Using solar passive energy has developed to provide energy efficient buildings at no cost without compromising your house design. Passive Solar Design requires an understanding of the solar path.

Whether you are on the northern or southern hemisphere the sun has a unique path.

To achieve maximum solar efficiency the layout of the glazing element will be very important.

In considering solar paths the room layouts need to be considered and the materials to ensure thermal mass.

Of course in the summer time there may be a need for solar cooling and this will be designed into the PHPP software.

a. Direct solar gain

Direct solar gain is the direct energy gain from the sun and is most important to optimise in passive houses.

Direct solar gain reaches directly into the living area.

b. Indirect solar gain

This is where solar gain is captured and stored in walls and floors to be utilised later as a heat source.See Trombe walls.

c. Isolated Gain

Such as sun rooms and conservatories.

The pragmatic use of solar passive design is essential to meet building codes and planning regulations but in Passive design the optimum use of passive solar has a significant effect on the houses efficiency.

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