Complementing Solar Energy Systems With Passive Solar Design
By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-05-31 05:45:06 | Word Count: 411
The popularity of solar energy has grown tremendously in the last decade, and the concern with Global Warming and pollution caused by the use of fossil fuels has increased people’s interest in finding more viable sources of renewable energy. State and federal solar incentives have helped increase the amount of businesses and homes that rely partially or mostly on solar energy systems to power their electric, heating and cooling systems.
States like California, where local incentive programs have been met with success, are at the forefront of the nationwide effort towards decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels. Many cities are jumping on this green alternative and San Diego solar power companies have seen a big jump in business. While the benefits of solar energy systems are obvious, there is also another, less tech-heavy way in which commercial or residential buildings can take advantage of the sun’s light to save energy. It’s a design principle known as passive solar building design, and it’s being used widely today in addition to solar energy systems to create more energy-efficient, eco-friendly structures.
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Passive solar design relies on simple design principles aimed at maintaining the interior thermal comfort of a building without having to use active heating or cooling systems. Some of these simple design principles include things like orienting most of a building’s windows south so that the building can capture more sunlight in the winter and less sunlight in the summer, installing operable windows and thermal chimneys, putting in skylights and awnings, and using thermal mass materials when building. Materials such as masonry are capable of storing energy from heat for long periods of time.
Passive building designs have been used by builders throughout the world for a long time, and it has been proven to result in more energy efficient buildings that require less overall maintenance and provide maximum comfort. Things like wing walls, for example, have been a common feature in many multi-story commercial buildings. Wing walls are vertical wall partitions placed between adjoining windows that help increase natural ventilation through windows. So next time you are thinking of remodeling your house so that it is more eco-friendly, be sure to take advantage of simple passive design principles. They are simple and relatively inexpensive ways to save energy.
