house solarei passive solar design
TRANSCRIPT
Sustainable Architecture: Passive Solar Design (House Solarei-‐Architect Duncan Firth). Resource compiled & edited by W van Zyl.
CASE STUDY: HOUSE SOLAREI *Some pictures with details/annotaOons/diagrams to illustrate and explain some basic principles of passive solar design.
Comments and details on the following: • PASSIVE VENTILATION • “TROMBE” WALLS (HEAT SINK) • DECIDUOUS LANDSCAPING • WORM FARM (COMPOSTING) • CLERESTORY • INTERIOR TIMBER • WINDOW SIZE, POSITIONING AND WINDOW DETAIL • PERGOLA AND SCREEN WALL • LARGE ROOF OVERHANG • HARVESTING RAINWATER • LocaOon: New Zealand
Pictures courtesy of architect Duncan Firth (Solarei.com)
SUN’S RAYS
The sun would heat up these floors in(Winter) Yellow -‐North facing (will act as heat sink)
CLERESTORY (L-‐SHAPED) Passage and entrance/exit
PosiOon of the sun during winter and summer: Diagrams show the design details and passive solar principles applied in sustainable architecture.
The interior walls (concrete) and floors (concrete) will absorb heat of the sun and release it during the day (winter months). See slanted ceilings with venOlaOon windows. This means warm air will rise and follow the slanted ceiling and the warm stale air would escape through the venOlaOon windows. This will sOmulate the passive venOlaOon in the building and create unassisted movement of the air. Cooler air will now flow in from the bo]om creaOng a constant flow of cooler fresh air during summer.
“TROMBE WALL”
Xeriscape gardening: Watering and irrigaOon are limited (rocks included and the choice of plants). Search xeriscaping to find out more. This technique could be used in suaOnable landscape design.
Interior walls: concrete blocks will absorb heat during winter and release it during the cold winter days (‘Trombe wall’). Timber to the interior: Macrocarpa shelves.
XERISCAPING: Xeriscaping for us amateur gardeners usually means gardening in an almost waterless environment. Usually in a desert like climate or geographical area where water is sparse. Really, we think of it as water-‐wise gardening with drought resistant plants that can survive with li]le or no water. Also water conservaOon techniques like mulching and collecOng rain-‐water come to mind. It could also include a gardening style or conservancy way of thinking, where we a]empt to build an outdoor space that can survive with li]le or no water. A producOve garden built on the idea that no water is wasted, that all available natural water is used for the best and that planOngs are thought out in terms of water conservancy. Read more: h]p://www.gardening-‐advice.net/xeriscaping.html#ixzz1ptUPMsDd SomeOmes climate dictates the necessity for a Xeriscape garden and someOmes it may be a choice. Xeric Gardens with drought smart plants are very a]racOve for whatever reason you want to create one.
Typical Xeriscaping:
DECIDUOUS TREES AND SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE (Landscape design):
DECIDUOUS TREES IN SUMMER
DECIDUOUS TREES IN AUTUMN
DECIDUOUS TREES IN WINTER
The Living Deck
SINGLE, DOUBLE AND TRIPPLE GLAZED WINDOWS –GAPS FILLED WITH ARGON GAS
Double glazing adds an insulaOon layer to your windows, providing you with the following benefits: A warmer home in winter, a cooler home in summer with condensa1on substan1ally reduced. On top of this is the reduc1on of fading damage and UV light, improved noise insula1on and improved security. UV RAYS OF THE SUN: Note that the glass is treated so the damaging UV rays of the sun is reduced inside the house. It means the curtains, carpets, and furniture colours will not fade or decay at the normal rate as expected in normal condiOons where just ordinary one layer of translucent glass is installed to the windows of a house.
DOUBLE GLAZING
Example of the applicaLon of Marcracarpa: The interior of the dwelling (kithen cupboards and floors) is shown in this picture.
WHY USE MACROCARPA TO THE INTERIOR? THE TIMBER WITH: BEAUTY.. STRENGTH.. DURABILITY.. SUSTAINABILITY Macrocarpa has become the Omber of choice for many home owners of today. Because it is not treated with chemicals, it is borer resistant, and it is becoming the popular opOon for public areas such as schools, parks, golf courses and home gardens. Macrocarpa is 90% plantaOon grown trees, for high quality Omber. Macrocarpa is a New Zealand exoOc with quite extensive new planOngs. Macrocarpa is recognised as one of the most eco-‐friendly Ombers New Zealand produces. DID YOU KNOW? Building with wood will make a significant contribuOon to reducing CO2 in the atmosphere. That 1 Tonne of wood has absorbed approximately 1.7 tonne of carbon net, amer manufacture. ie. By simply choosing wood an average Omber house reduces CO2 by 50 tonnes (equivalent to that emi]ed by flying 12 Omes around the world or what a car could use during its enOre life). By just choosing Omber cladding alone, on average 8.5 tonne of CO2 has been taken out of the atmosphere! That wooden ceiling sarking (sarking is the use of wood panels, or "sarking boards“) would also reduce CO2 by approximately 8.5 tonne. That carbon is 'locked up' for the life of the house. Any Macrocarpa waste is environmentally safe and friendly (shavings, sawdust for the garden and farm, off-‐cuts for firewood).
Timber pergola to the western side of the dwelling: Will act as a screen for the late amernoon sun (sun setng in the west). In Summer it will be very hot and the pergola would assist by keeping the paCo cool. The screen wall to the far right will also assist with shading and at the same Cme it will act as a wind screen for the paCo.
Sun’s rays (late amernoon)
Veggie garden: Planters filled with vegetables (garage in the background) . The harvested rainwater will be used to irrigate the garden and the garden will provide the members of the household with fresh vegetables on a daily basis. This is a very cost effecOve and sustainable way to add healthy food to the diet of the members of the household at no extra cost. Scraps from the kitchen (grinded coffee, teabags, cardboard, food scraps, etc.) could be used to “feed” the Oger worms in the compost box (earthworms break down the scraps and convert it into ferOle soil). Search worm farms to learn more!
Bath tub used as a worm farm: All the food scraps, cardboard, tea bags, grinded coffee etc. from the kitchen is mixed into the soil to feed the earth worms. The worms will consume the scraps and produce top quality compost for veggie gardens
Earth worms are very effecOve to break down scrap food and lem overs. The worm juice and compost are invaluable for effecOve sustainable gardening.
Large roof overhang: The large roof overhang will shade the house during the hot summer months. At the same Ome it is not too large so the winter sun will not be able to shine into the house (sun is lower during winter). The key is to get the balance right.
Deck: Timber deck has a concrete slab below it so the rainwater would run off and it will get channelled to the water tank (under ground).
Cerestory: Also called a ‘Stack’. Concrete walls will heat up during winter and release the heat during the day. This will reduce the heaOng bill as less electrical or gas heaOng is required. It will also release heat into the colder areas of the house (south). VenLlaLon windows: See the slanted ceiling and verOcal venOlaOon window at the top. The slanted ceiling will enhance the air flow (warm air) towards the top window. At the same Ome cooler air will flow in from the outside (bo]om entry).
SLANTED CEILING ASSISTING AIR FLOW
WINDOW TO IMPROVE PASSIVE VENTILATION