Strawbale Construction & Rainwater Cisterns
Operable windows, thermal mass, and thermal chimneys are common elements found in passive design. Operable windows are simply windows that can be opened. Thermal mass refers to materials such as masonry and water that can store heat energy for extended time. Thermal mass will prevent rapid temperature fluctuations. Thermal chimneys create or reinforce the effect hot air rising to induce air movement for cooling purposes.
Wing walls are vertical exterior wall partitions placed perpendicular to adjoining windows to enhance ventilation through windows.
CONSIDERATIONS:
Consideration of high humidity is a key issue in Austin. For example, a basic passive cooling strategy is to permit cooler night air to ventilate a house and cool down the thermal mass (this can be brick, stone, or concrete walls or floors, or large water containers) inside the house. The thermal mass will absorb heat during the day; however, excessive humidity will reduce the cooling effect from the cooler thermal mass. Interior design elements of a home in our region also play a strong role in the effectiveness of passive cooling. For example, carpets, drapes, and fabric-covered furniture will absorb moisture from humid air, forcing the air conditioner to work harder to remove humidity.
As a design approach, passive solar design can take many forms. It can be integrated to greater or lesser degrees in a building. Key considerations regarding passive design are determined by the characteristics of the building site. The most effective designs are based on specific understanding of a building site's wind patterns, terrain, vegetation, solar exposure and other factors often requiring professional architectural services. However, a basic understanding of these issues can have a significant effect on the energy performance of a building.
Commercial Status |
Implementation Issues |
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Operable Windows | |||||||
Thermal Mass | |||||||
Passive Solar Design | |||||||
Wing Walls | |||||||
Thermal Chimney |
Legend | |
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Satisfactory |
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Satisfactory in most conditions |
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Satisfactory in Limited Conditions |
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Unsatisfactory or Difficult |
Wing walls are being researched as a ventilation strategy at the Florida Solar Energy Center, and effectiveness is being documented.
A thermal chimney is a common design element in passive solar designs. Thermal chimneys are based on basic thermodynamics commonly used in passive design.
Barley & Pfieffer Architects
1800 W. 6th St.
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 476-8580
greenarchs@aol.com
Robert James Architecture
4601 Ave. B
Austin, Texas 78751
(512) 450-0589
rhjarchitect@juno.com
Lars Stanley, AIA, Architects
P.O. Box 3095
Austin, Texas 78764
(512) 445-0444
107762.473@compuserve.com
Kinney and Associates
P.O.Box 6456
Austin,Texas 78762
(512) 472-5572
Ben Obregon, Architect
13429 Overland Pass
Austin, TX 78736
(512) 263-0177
bobregon@bga.com
Stewardship, Inc.
2313 W. 8th St.
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 478-5819
gayle_borst@greenbuilder.com
Michael Garrison
2605 Enfield
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 474-2866
Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems
8604 FM 969
Austin, TX 78724
(512) 928-4786
http://www.cmpbs.org
G. W. Crow
7604 Hemingway Dr.
Austin, TX 78752
(512) 458-1547
Tom Hatch Architects
1100 E. 8th St.
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 474-8548
Francisco Arumi
School of Architecture
UT Austin
Austin, TX 78712
(512) 471-1922
Architecture + Plus
Betty J. Trent, AIA
1907 N. Lamar, Suite 260
Austin, TX. 78705
(512) 328-3424
fax 478-0920
Christopher J. Allen
1406 W. 39 1/2 St.
Austin, TX 78756
(512) 467-2888
Environment Associates
4219 Richmond Ave. Ste 250
Houston, TX 77027-6889
(713) 528-0000
Plans:
Building Value Into Housing Awards Program
HUD USER
P. O. Box 6091
Rockville, MD 20850
Designs for Affordable Housing
by Steven Winter Associates
HUD USER
P. O. Box 6091
Rockville, MD 20850
Home Designs for Energy Efficient Living
HomeStyles Publishing and Marketing
275 Market St., Suite 521
Minneapolis, MN 55405
Integrated Energy House Design Book
Passive Solar Environments
821 West Main St.
Kent, OH 44240
Operation Solar
Northeast Utilities
P. O. Box 270
Hartford, CT 06141-0270
Solar Homes Design Portfolio
Tennessee Valley authority
Communications Dept.
400 West Summit Hill Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37902
Solar Homes for North Carolina
North Carolina Solar Center
Jane S. McKimmon Center
Box 7401
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7401
Solplan 5: Energy-conserving Passive Solar Houses
Drawing-Room Graphic Services, Ltd.
P. O. Box 88627
North Vancouver, BC V7L 4L2
Canada
Sun-Inspired Home Plans
Energetic Design
Debra Rucker Coleman
18250 Tanner Rd.
Citronelle, AL 36522
(334) 866-2574
energetic@dellnet.com
http://www.homestead.com/energeticdesign/
Florida Solar Energy Center
300 State Rd. 401
Cape Canaveral, Fl 32920
Passive Retrofit Handbook
Southern Solar Energy Ctr. and USDOE
1980, available in Austin from the Green Building Program.
Passive Solar Industries Council
1511 K St., #600
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 628-7400
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
1617 Cole Blvd.
Golden, CO 80401
(303) 231-7683
Solar Energy Industries Assoc.
777 North Capitol St. NE, Ste. 805
Washington, DC 20002
(703) 524-6100
Solar Energy International
P.O.Box 715
Carbondale, CO 81623
(970) 963-8855
sei@solarenergy.org
workshops, education
Texas Energy Extension Service
Center for Energy and Mineral Resources
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-1243
(800) 643-SAVE
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Sustainable Building Sourcebook web version copyright Sustainable Sources 1994-1999.