Passive Solar Roof Design

Passive solar heating uses free heating direct from the sun to dramatically reduce the estimated 40 of energy consumed in the average home for space heating and cooling.

Passive solar roof design. Passive solar design takes advantage of a building s site climate and materials to minimize energy use. Passive solar homes can be any color just like normal homes but they lose a major advantage if they aren t painted to suit the climate. May 27 2020 explore russell crosby s board passive solar house design on pinterest. When sunlight strikes a building the building materials can reflect transmit or absorb the solar radiation.

Most climates require both passive heating and cooling. Passive solar design takes advantage of this by designing a home s roof pitch and overhang to allow solar heat gain during the winter months and block it during the summer. Natural convection and ventilation. Passive solar design refers to the use of the sun s energy for the heating and cooling of living spaces by exposure to the sun.

These homes require much less fossil fuel energy to heat. In passive solar building design windows walls and floors are made to collect store reflect and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer. Passive solar does not generate actual electricity from the sun but is simply an architectural discipline involving harnessing the sun for warming in winter and cooling in summer. How roof overhangs or other window overhangs work to control heat and solar gain overhangs are most effective for south facing elements in the northern hemisphere and at midday.

Many heating and cooling design objectives overlap but different emphasis is required depending on your climate needs. This is called passive solar design because unlike active solar heating systems it does not involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices. Passive solar design begins with the simple idea that you can build a house that uses natural heating cooling ventilation and daylighting. In passive solar home design exterior roof overhangs provide a practical method for shading building elements such as windows doors and walls.

Only solar panels or pv generate electricity using the photovoltaic pv effect. A well designed passive solar home first reduces heating and cooling loads through energy efficiency strategies and then meets those reduced loads in whole or part with solar energy.