Passive Solar Roof Design

Passive solar design begins with the simple idea that you can build a house that uses natural heating cooling ventilation and daylighting.

Passive solar roof design.

Passive solar design refers to the use of the sun s energy for the heating and cooling of living spaces by exposure to the sun. 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. Passive solar design takes advantage of this by designing a home s roof pitch and overhang to allow solar heat gain during the winter months and block it during the summer. In addition the heat produced by the sun causes air movement that can be predictable in designed spaces.

Natural convection and ventilation. Passive solar design takes advantage of a building s site climate and materials to minimize energy use. This is called passive solar design because unlike active solar heating systems it does not involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices. These homes require much less fossil fuel energy to heat.

When sunlight strikes a building the building materials can reflect transmit or absorb the solar radiation.