Buildings account for about 50% of the energy consumed in developed countries, most of which still comes from non renewable sources. The environmental impact due to the process of extraction, production and transportation combined with its ever increasing cost have contributed to make energy related issues an ever more important issue within the broad context of sustainable architecture. In most countries there are excellent examples of vernacular architecture and many contemporary architects have also embraced some of the principles of ecological design, creating interesting examples of low energy buildings adapted to the climate. Passive heating systems store and distribute solar energy without the need of complex controllers for its distribution, raising indoor temperatures above outdoor values. Passive cooling systems transfer incident energy to natural energetic deposits, or heat sinks, such as the air, the upper atmosphere, water and earth, lowering the temperature of the air inside the building. When passive heating or cooling systems are incorporated in building design,energy consumption for heating or cooling can be greatly reduced and in some cases eliminated altogether, reducing nonrenewable energy consumption and global pollution, so that the whole planet benefits.
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type |
Content |
Fresh
clean air |
Note that for the parameters tested, and provided the filters (minimum F6) are maintained, HEPA quality air is provided. 0.3 air changes per hour (ACH) are recommended, otherwise the air can become "stale" (excess CO2, flushing of indoor air pollutants) and any greater, excessively dry (less than 40% humidity). This implies careful selection of interior finishes and furnishings, to minimize indoor air pollution from VOC's (e.g., formaldehyde). This can be counteracted somewhat by opening a window for a very brief time, by plants, and by indoor fountains.Because of the high resistance to heat flow (high R-value insulation), there are no "outside walls" which are colder than other walls. |
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walls |
Because of the high resistance to heat flow (high R-value insulation), there are no "outside walls" which are colder than other walls |
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Homogeneous interior temperature |
it is impossible to have single rooms (e.g. the sleeping rooms) at a different temperature from the rest of the house. Note that the relatively high temperature of the sleeping areas is physiologically not considered desirable by some building scientists. Bedroom windows can be cracked open slightly to alleviate this when necessary. |
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Slow temperature changes |
with ventilation and heating systems switched off, a passive house typically loses less than 0.5 °C (1 °F) per day (in winter), stabilizing at around 15 °C (59 °F) in the central European climate. |
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Quick return to normal temperature |
opening windows or doors for a short time has only a limited effect; after aperatures are closed, the air very quickly returns to the "normal" temperature.Because of the high resistance to heat flow (high R-value insulation), there are no "outside walls" which are colder than other walls.Homogeneous interior temperature: it is impossible to have single rooms (e.g. the sleeping rooms) at a different temperature from the rest of the house. Note that the relatively high temperature of the sleeping areas is physiologically not considered desirable by some building scientists. Bedroom windows can be cracked open slightly to alleviate this when necessary.Slow temperature changes: with ventilation and heating systems switched off, a passive house typically loses less than 0.5 °C (1 °F) per day (in winter), stabilizing at around 15 °C (59 °F) in the central European climate.Quick return to normal temperature: opening windows or doors for a short time has only a limited effect; after aperatures are closed, the air very quickly returns to the "normal" temperature. |