Passive Solar Design (Architecture) The intention of this slideshow is to provide a basic introduction to passive solar design and architecture. A very simple historical example (Afghanistan) is given with some diagrams to explain the basics of passive solar and some passive ventilation principles (comparing winter and summer). Towards the end an example of a more complex design (Solar decathlon 2012-SLIDE house, Egypt) is included to illustrate some of the combination of solar principles and movement in relation to the sun (harvesting the energy of the sun). On some of the last slides I make a comment about the SLIDE house to get the viewer to think about Nano technology and bio-mimetics. The last slide provide a link to a website on Bio-mimetics. The viewer can explore bio-mimicry and its role in design by asking nature how? Website: http://williamvanzyldvchc.co.nz/

1. IN ARCHITECTURE
PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN

2. If you touch that concrete floor with your bare hands
what will the temperature feel like? Warm, cool, or
hot?
Photo David Dodge, Green Energy Futures With Les Wold of Effect Homes. Large southern windows for
passive solar heat with concrete floor. www.greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/62-power-passive-solar-...

3. Passive Solar Homes in Afghanistan (Kabul). Using
what you have! A very practical solution to heating a
home! See the plastic windows to the front of the
buildings!
© Oriane Zera
Passive Solar House (PSH) techniques use insulation and solar energy, the latter
being both abundant and free in the region of Kabul.

4. Inside the passive solar house in Afghanistan. Typical large “glass
curtain”(plastic) to the front with a good heat sink (floor and front wall).
Ingenious, practical and simple application of a passive solar designed house!
The plastic keeps the heat in and the thermal mass warms up the building at no
cost to the owner.
© GERES
The veranda becomes a pleasant living space with heat diffused into
the adjacent rooms.

5. How passive solar design works: Roof overhang allows or screens the
sun out (winter and summer).See the height of the sun at different
angles (winter and summer). Floor and walls act as thermal mass to
absorb the sun’s heat (winter). Deciduous trees to the front of the
building can screen the sun in summer (not shown on this diagram).
Diagram showing good passive solar design
(Hibshman, 1983, p.71)

6. Three simple stages of passive solar design: Collect
heat from the sun, store heat in a heat sink, and
release the heat within an insulated building.
http://www.ecobob.co.nz/EcoBlog/1175/
259/Tour-of-Nelson-Eco-Houses.aspx

7. DIAGRAM: Passive solar design showing the difference between winter and summer
conditions. See the water pipes in the floor and ceiling. The warm water can be cycled
(pumped ) through the building to heat up the interior during winter. Concrete floor and
concrete ceiling with copper pipes in situ filled with water. No cost to the owner. The
pump could run on electric power harvested from the photovoltaic panels!
ROOF OVERHANG: See how the sun is let in during winter and
how it is shut out during summer. Sun heats up the thermal
mass (walls) during winter and the heat is transferred into the
building. This would mean a saving on heating the building
during winter.
DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS: These windows act as insulators and
keep the warm or cold air in the building. It controls the
temperature and keep it stable inside the building.

8. USING THE BASEMENT (WHICH IS COOLER) TO COOL DOWN THE REST OF THE BUILDING, VERY
CLEVER! Notice the basement and how the air is circulated through the basement to cool the air in the
building. Two vertical ducts draws the cool air from the basement and the cool air is pushed upwards
to ventilate the building. See how the cool air enters from the left and how the warmer air escapes on
the right (passive ventilation)
The ducts from the basement allows the
air to flow through the building and cool it
down. It is possible to install small fans
(solar powered) in the ducts to assist
moving the air along.
BASEMENT
http://c1038.r38.cf3.rackcdn.com/group5/building40163/media/Passive cooling system.jpg

9. SLIDING MECHANISM AND PASSIVE SOLAR PRINCIPLES: The ‘SLIDES’ (‘sustainable, livable, and interactive design’) house
concept by a team of architecture and engineering students at the American University in Cairo (AUC) is a solar-powered
living structure designed to address local sustainability challenges while offering an aesthetic that draws heavily on the
region’s traditional architecture and design. The AUC team is be the first Middle Eastern and African University team to
compete in the European solar decathlon, held in June 2012, which challenges teams to design a fully functional 21st century
home that benefits from the highest efficiency of solar power and sustainability.
http://www.designboom.com/architecture/slides-solar-house-for-egypt

10. ‘SLIDES’ (‘sustainable, livable, and interactive design’) house concept, designed by a
student team at the American university in Cairo and to be presented at the Solar
Decathlon Europe 2012.
The ‘SLIDES‘ (‘sustainable, livable, and interactive design’) house concept by a team of
architecture and engineering students at the American university in Cairo (AUC) is a solar-
powered living structure designed to address local sustainability challenges while offering
an aesthetic that draws heavily on the region’s traditional architecture and design. the AUC
team is be the first middle eastern and African university team to compete in the European
solar decathlon, held in June 2012, which challenges teams to design a fully functional 21st
century home that benefits from the highest efficiency of solar power and sustainability.
The ‘SLIDES’ house is a net zero energy structure, utilizing photovoltaic cells and solar
thermal roof panels. The house is designed specifically to address the major challenges
that Egypt’s climate poses for sustainability: The need for a cooling system in the hot
weather, and regional water shortages. ‘SLIDES’ maximizes the use of natural ventilation
and cooling, reducing the need for electrically-powered air-conditioning. a grey water
filtration system recycles already used water to functions like drip irrigation and toilets.
the designers describe the house structure as a ‘matchbox’, whose interlaid segments can
slide in and out to regulate solar gain and shade. a double-layered perforated facade fits
over the structure, regulating sunlight penetration while offering a contemporary
interpretation of Mashrabiya, the latticework windows traditional to Arabic architecture. As
the two layers of these perforated panels slide along one another, different amounts of
light are permitted to enter the structure.
http://www.designboom.com/architecture/slides-solar-house-for-egypt/
Copyright: Designboom.com

11. SLIDES’ is founded on a passive heating and cooling system. during the summertime, the screen is kept closed by day to
minimize heat entering the interior, while a ventilation outlet in the building’s ceiling provides an escape for hot air. at
night, the windows are opened to permit the circulation of fresh air. during winter, the repositionable screen is moved to
the open position to maximize solar gain and heat absorption, while at night heat stored in the thermal mass flooring is
used to heat the interior space.
the design team has developed a fiber reinforced polymer for use in the building’s construction, composed of recycled
plastic bags and wood waste. the team is also exploring the use of traditional papyrus for the creation of the movable
screen. the building’s exterior design is based on the interlocking stones of ancient Egyptian construction.
Copyright: Designboom.com

12. SLIDE HOUSE CLOSED:
Copyright: Designboom.com

13. SLIDE HOUSE OPEN:
Copyright: Designboom.com

14. SLIDE HOUSE OPEN
Copyright: Designboom.com

15. Some of my thoughts on the SLIDES
solar house for Egypt:
Nano Technology and Bio-mimetics
The heat sink (thermal mass),just on the inside of the “outer skin", could
be chosen and designed to suit the conditions required. When you look
through the holes on the outer skin you can see the heat sink (second
layer). Light weight concrete could be a good choice here! Nano
technology and the application of it could maximize the efficiency of the
design in future!
Using bio-mimetics (ask how nature does it) could be explored to look at
how plants, insects and animals moves and uses their
skin/leaves/shell/exoskeleton, etc. and improve on certain aspects. The
idea is here is just to mention that bio-mimetics could be used in
refining the deign process!
If you are interested in bio-mimicry see the next slide!
William Van Zyl

16. BIO-MIMETICS : What is this?
http://www.asknature.org/

17. About this Open Education
Resource (OER)
The intention of this slideshow is to provide a basic introduction to
passive solar design and architecture.
A very simple historical example (Afghanistan) is given with some
diagrams to explain the basics of passive solar and some passive
ventilation principles (comparing winter and summer). Towards the end an
example of a more complex design (Solar decathlon 2012-SLIDE house,
Egypt) is included to illustrate some of the combination of solar principles
and movement in relation to the sun (harvesting the energy of the sun).
On some of the last slides I make a comment about the SLIDE house to
get the viewer to think about Nano technology and bio-mimetics. The last
slide provide a link to a website on Bio-mimetics.
The viewer can explore bio-mimicry and its role in design by asking
nature how?
USE OF THIS RESOURCE: See Creative common license on the last slide.

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