Principles of passive solar architecture as means of improving health and thermal comfort aspects of indoor environment

Abstract

The estimates are that we spend majority of our lifetime indoors. Therefore, the quality of indoor environment is crucial to our health. Thermal comfort is amongst the most energy-related aspects of comfort since the energy requirements for heating and cooling refer to more than a half of energy needs in buildings. Passive solar architecture, emerged from the archetypal builders’ responses to the natural environment, by using the energy of the sun for heating and cooling in the most economical and rational way- by applying the laws of physics. The key passive solar architectural principles aimed at achieving thermal comfort presented in the paper are: adaptive thermal comfort (the comfortable indoor temperature levels adjusting to the outside temperature), thermal zoning (variety in disposition and orientation of the different functional zones), and thermal mass (using building materials with ability to effectively store heat), all aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and providing a healthy indoor environment.

Guidelines to reduce the effects of urban heat in a changing climate: Green infrastructures and design measures

“…Additional elements may be required for the best thermal performance of patios, like galleries in their perimeter or top shading devices (like pergolas). Moreover, adopting a thermal zoning strategy within buildings can enhance their thermal performance, grouping rooms with similar thermal needs together and choosing the best orientation (Kujundzic & Stamatovic Vuckovic, 2020). Also, the design of shading in buildings helps to create cooler environments in and around constructions (Soussi et al, 2013).…”

Toward Regenerative Sustainability: A Passive Design Comfort Assessment Method of Indoor Environment

“…In the paper, passive design measures are considered within the regenerative sustainability scope of humane design, concerned with the livability of all constituents of the global ecosystem, including plants and wildlife, focusing on human comfort (i.e., the comfort of building occupants) and enhancing the health and well-being of building' users [48][49][50]. It is noteworthy that passive design measures, as the simplest, cheapest, yet energy-efficient and environmentally favorable, should be implemented the first, while all other measures represent additional design and building methods, necessary only if the requirements exceed already applied passive design principles.…”