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Passive Solar Design A Smart Investment

Research shows that about 40% of day to day energy use comes from heating and cooling the space we live in.

Passive solar building design is becoming more popular with home builders who are keen to reduce their energy use while not giving up the comfort of a climate-controlled environment. Many with an eye to capitalising on their investment in years to come realise that by the time they sell, energy savvy design will be even more highly sought after, as energy costs soar with increasing concern about their real cost to the environment in the era of global climate change.

Passive solar design – in its simplest form - means keeping the heat of the sun out of the home in summer and attracting the sun inside in winter. Most passive solar features cost little or nothing if incorporated at the design stage.

The following points will help you to ask the right questions and get the energy efficient outcomes you are looking for.

1. Orientation
Orientation comes down to intelligent use of the sun. It doesn’t cost anything but the decision about which way the home will face must be made before the foundations are laid. Choose the ideal direction to maximise sun use during winter and restrict sun use at the hottest times of year (in the Southern hemisphere this means a north orientation for day use areas and south for night use).

2. Zoning
Clever zoning means placing the daytime areas of the home towards the northern side and the night time areas to the south or east (it’s easy to stay warm in bed and days are spent in the living areas).

3. Glazing
Well-placed and sized windows reduce the need for artificial lighting during the day. At the same time, the fact that glass is a poor insulator needs to be taken into account; double glazing or some other form of insulation such as heavy curtains may be necessary at night time or on sunless winter days in most climates. Unprotected single glazed windows lose ten times more heat in winter than the same area of insulated wall. Windows can also be designed to let sun shine on interior walls and floors that can be built of materials that have the thermal mass to store it.
 4. Insulation
No matter what the climate, insulation for walls, roofs, and floors is crucial in energy efficient design, keeping heat inside the house during winter and outside in summer. In some cases the building material itself may be the insulator (e.g mud bricks, double brick).

It is interesting to note that medium density housing is inherently more energy efficient than detached dwellings as shared party walls are not exposed to external temperatures. Units and apartments have a smaller footprint (floor area ratio) minimising heat transfer through walls and roofs.

5. Thermal Mass
Thermal mass is the ability of a material to absorb heat energy. High thermal mass materials are usually high in density, such as mud bricks and concrete. Lightweight materials such as timber have a low thermal mass and need more insulation. High thermal mass materials store winter sun heat to use at night.

6. Breeze Paths
Breeze paths are also very important in summer. Making sure the summer breezes are able to travel in a straight path through your home will help to cool it. Breezes do not move freely around corners, so it’s vital to place windows or doors opposite each other. It’s a simple planning technique to align doors and windows so air can move freely through the house. This will allow the house to capture the night breezes which cool the house after a hot day.

7. Shading
Strategically angled eaves keep the heat out of windows in summer when the sun is higher. Summer shading can also be achieved by using deciduous trees or external adjustable blinds.