Passive Solar Residential Design and Construction

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Passive Solar Residential Design and Construction

• Mark M. Feldman, President
• High Desert
• Construction, Inc.
• www.markmfeldman.com

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Design Determinants The Lot

• Climate
• Microclimate
• Vegetation
• Soil Conditions
• Topography/Drainage
• Solar Availability
• Access
• Privacy
• Views - Good Bad
• Neighbors
• Utilities

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The Rules of the Road

• Zoning Ordinances
• Relevant Codes (2006 IRC)
• Restrictive Covenants

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Hierarchy Relationship of Spaces

• Bubble Diagram
• Relationship to Each Other
• Relationship to the Lot

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Style

• Photos From Magazines
• Personal Photos
• Houses and Details

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Material Choices

• Durability (lifetime)
• Environmental Consequences
• Cost
• Suitability
• Standardization

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Budget

• Current and lifetime costs
• Payback periods

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Start Drawing!

• Plan, elevations, sections, details, K.I.S.S.

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Models

• Think in 3-D

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Let the Sun Shine In

• Declination (finding true South)
• Glass to the South
• Sun Angles
• Site Specific
• Amount of Solar
• Orientation

• National Geophysical Data Center (NOAA Satellite
  and Information Service)
• Declination 9 26 E

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Heat Capacity

• Build with materials that have a high thermal
  mass
• High heat capacity conductivity

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Work with the Environment

• Go with the flow
• Dont fight Mother Nature
• Consider indigenous design

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Define Goals

• Day use?
• Night use?
• Energy or dollar conservation (for your home or
  for the planet)?

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Principles of Heat Transfer

• Conduction
• Convection
• Radiation

Surface area of building
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Insulation and Weather Stripping

• High quality
• Tight Construction
• Heat loss
• Infiltration/fan pressurization test
• Air to air heat exchangers

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Heating and Cooling Degree Days

• Types of insulation
• How much insulation is enough

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Recommended Levels of Insulation

• R-values
• U-values
• Effective u-values

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Glazing Materials

• Double, triple glazing
• Low e windows
• Wood
• Fiberglass
• Aluminum
• Vinyl windows
• doors

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Direct Gain
CONS Glare Loss of privacy Fading of
fabrics/pictures Carpets not desirable Large
temperature swings Moveable insulation

• PROS
• Simple
• Inexpensive
• Natural daylight
• View outside

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Direct Gain Examples

• Clerestory

Window
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Sunspaces/Greenhouses
CONS Heat loss at night Summertime
overheating Expense
PROS Space for growing food/plants Act as
buffer zone Easily retrofitted Additional
living space
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Sunspaces/Greenhouses Examples
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Thermal Mass Walls
PROS Lower temperature swings Time delay
Combined collector/storage Combined
solar/structural No glare or fading
CONS Two south walls Mass wall uses space
No daylight or view Heat loss at night
Cleaning/insects
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Thermal Mass Example 1
Hallways/Stairs
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Thermal Mass Example 2

• Water/drum walls

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Thermal Mass Example 3

• Partial unvented trombe walls

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Overhangs
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Control of Passive Solar Systems

• Natural Shading
• Blinds

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Passive Cooling
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Daylighting
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Design Rules of Thumb

• Excerpted from The Passive Solar Energy Book by
  Ed Mazria

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Passive Solar Domestic Water Heating Systems
Breadbox

• Simple
• Cheap

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Passive Solar Domestic Water Heating Systems
Thermosiphon 1
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Passive Solar Domestic Water Heating Systems
Thermosiphon 2
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Backup Cooling Systems
Evaporative Cooler
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Backup Heating Systems 1
Conversion Equivalence Chart Electricity 1
KW 3,413 Btu/hr Natural gas 1 Cubic Foot
of Natural Gas 1030 Btu's 1 CCF 100 Cu Ft
1 Therm 103,000 Btu's  1 MCF 1,000 Cu Ft
10 Therms 1,034,000 Btu's 1.034 MMBtu's
Propane 1 Gal Propane 91,600 Btu's 1 Cu Ft
Propane 2,500
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Backup Heating Systems 2
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Backup Heating Systems 3
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Backup Heating Systems 4
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Backup Heating Systems 5
Heat pumps and Geothermal