Passive Solar: Subdivisions, Windows, Underground

New York: American Solar Energy Society-Kansas City Chapter-Missouri Solar & Energy Association, 1983. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Trade paperback. Good. [6], 256 pages. Illustrations (photographs and drawings). Figures. Tabular Data. References. The book has general wear around the edges and corners as well as staining primarily on the front cover. A relatively early attempt at a comprehensive review of passive solar technologies and applications that provides an insightful snapshot of the industry and technologies in the last quarter of the Twentieth century. One of the most important sections of the work is the chapter Honoring George Frederick Keck and William Keck as solar pioneers. A collection of papers illustrating the use of passive solar design are presented. Solar design is traced from over a century ago to the present. Discussed are design considerations for the mass market, products which enhance the application of passive solar techniques, market and financing problems. Window design is discussed in terms of glass, air infiltration, air movement, thermal transfer and use as solar collectors. The use of underground buildings is presented from a historical aspect and with consideration for structural design, economics and quality of life. In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, reflect, and distribute solar energy, in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer. This is called passive solar design because, unlike active solar heating systems, it does not involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices. The key to designing a passive solar building is to best take advantage of the local climate performing an accurate site analysis. Elements to be considered include window placement and size, and glazing type, thermal insulation, thermal mass, and shading. Passive solar design techniques can be applied most easily to new buildings, but existing buildings can be adapted or "retrofitted". Passive solar technologies use sunlight without active mechanical systems (as contrasted to active solar, which uses thermal collectors). Such technologies convert sunlight into usable heat (in water, air, and thermal mass), cause air-movement for ventilating, or future use, with little use of other energy sources. A common example is a solarium on the equator-side of a building. Passive cooling is the use of similar design principles to reduce summer cooling requirements. Some passive systems use a small amount of conventional energy to control dampers, shutters, night insulation, and other devices that enhance solar energy collection, storage, and use, and reduce undesirable heat transfer. Passive solar technologies include direct and indirect solar gain for space heating, solar water heating systems based on the thermosiphon, use of thermal mass and phase-change materials for slowing indoor air temperature swings, solar cookers, the solar chimney for enhancing natural ventilation, and earth sheltering. More widely, solar technologies include the solar furnace, but this typically requires some external energy for aligning their concentrating mirrors or receivers, and historically have not proven to be practical or cost effective for widespread use. 'Low-grade' energy needs, such as space and water heating, have proven over time to be better applications for passive use of solar energy.