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Sun shade reduces solar gain in Mexico (C) Daniel Friedman Passive Solar Design Handbook Q&A

Passive solar design & effectiveness:

This article discusses the problem that Passive Solar Design Handbook leaves some passive solar evaluation (solar energy savings fraction) questions that are answered by an expert. Accompanying text is reprinted/adapted/excerpted with permission from Solar Age Magazine - editor Steven Bliss.

Our page top photo shows windows admitting morning solar gain in a nearly-balanced-energy passive solar home in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.

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Passive Solar Design Questions for Combination Solar Systems

5 Elements of Passive Solar Design - US DOE

The question-and-answer article about passive solar design for combination systems that combine a water well source, direct solar gain, and a Trombe wall, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss.

The U.S. DOE illustration (left) identifies the five elements of passive solar design: aperature, control, distribution, absorber, and thermal mass (see PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN KEY ELEMENTS for details). The question below discusses use of a Trombe wall for thermal mass.

Question: I have questions concerning the Passive Solar Design Handbook

For a house with a combination solar system, that is, combining a water well, direct solar gain, and a Trombe wall in one building, how does one go about finding the solar savings fraction?

Do the calculations take into account internal gains? -- Richard Glaser, Glenwood Springs CO

Answer:

If the passive solar designed building has more than one type of energy system, divide the building load coefficient by the combined areas of all the passive solar energy system types to get a single Load Collector Ratio (LCR).

Using that LCR, determine the solar savings fraction for each alternative energy system type. This amounts to assuming that the entire solar wall is first one type, then the next, and so forth.

The final solar savings fraction is the average of each fraction weighted according to the percentage each solar energy system represents in the combined solar collector area.

The solar fraction calculation procedure is explained well enough in Volume III of the Passive Solar Design Handbook.

The LCR method of assessing the solar savings fraction does not take into account heat gains from people, lights, or appliances. For a closer look at the passive solar design method and for the answers to many other questions you may have about it, Solar Age Magazine published a series of articles beginning in May 1983.

List of Passive Solar Design Key Reference Books including Online Texts

The first three passive solar design handbook links below are to free, online documents.

Here we include solar energy, solar heating, solar hot water, and related building energy efficiency improvement articles reprinted/adapted/excerpted with permission from Solar Age Magazine - editor Steven Bliss.


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PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN METHOD at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to SOLAR ENERGY

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.



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