Course Description
This continuing education course is an introduction to passive solar technology to heat buildings. It will tell you about the basic passive systems and climate considerations you need to know about. You will gain knowledge about guidelines for schematic design of passive solar buildings. You will learn the foundation you need to move forward with passive solar design as an integral part of your building design skills.
Course Outline
I. Systems
A. Direct gain heating
B. Daylighting
C. Radiant panels
D. Thermosiphoning air panels
E. Thermal storage walls
1. Trombe walls
2. Concrete block walls
3. Water walls
F. Sunspaces
G. Incremental cooling load
II. Climatic considerations
A. Characteristic weather parameters
B. Climate and conservation measures
C. Solar availability
III. Guidelines for schematic design
A. Building shape and orientation
B. East, west and north windows
C. Passive heating system characteristics
D. Sizing overhangs
E. Insulation levels
F. Infiltration
G. Solar collection area
H. Thermal storage mass
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
• Learn about direct gain heating systems
• Learn about radiant panel systems
• Learn about thermosiphoning air panel systems
• Learn about thermal storage walls
• Learn about sunspaces
• Learn about characteristic weather parameters
• Learn about climate and conservation measures
• Learn about solar availability
• Learn about guidelines for schematic design
Intended Audience
Architectural, civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineers; federal, state and local public works and infrastructure officials; and managers with private companies responsible for design, construction, operation and maintenance of buildings and related infrastructure.
Benefit for Attendee
Participants will receive the framework they need to take a leadership position in implementation of passive solar building design in their companies, firms and agencies. They will learn the fundamentals that will allow them to move forward design cost-effective and efficient passive solar buildings.
Course Introduction
1. Your will learn about basic passive solar heating systems for buildings including direct gain heating, daylighting, radiant panels, thermosiphoning air panels, thermal storage walls, sunspaces, and incremental cooling load.
2. This seminar will cover climatic considerations including characteristic weather parameters, climate-driven conservation measures, and solar availability.
3. Guidelines for schematic design of passive solar building heating systems will be discussed including building shape and orientation, non-south windows, passive heating system characteristics, sizing overhangs, insulation levels, infiltration, solar collection areas, and thermal storage mass.
Course Summary
Passive solar energy is one of the most efficient forms of energy in the world. Not only does it reduce the cost of energy for your company, agency or clients, it reduces the demand on limited global energy supplies and avoids carbon emissions and other global environmental impacts associated with energy production and utilization. Participants will learn about the basic systems and building features that can be used to passively heat buildings using solar energy. They will learn how to evaluate climate and solar availability to determine feasibility of cost-effective passive solar systems at specific project sites. And they will gain knowledge of guidelines to use in preparing feasibility studies for passive solar projects.
