There s more to solar power than high tech semiconductor arrays.
Passive solar energy panels.
The objective is to take advantage of direct sunlight.
Passive solar energy utilizes building constituents such as walls floors roofs windows exterior building elements and landscaping to control heat generated by sun.
In the design of passive solar buildings the building materials are designed to fulfill two functions.
Solar heating designs try to trap and store thermal energy from sunlight directly.
Greenhouses these make use of large panes of glass that absorb solar radiation.
You can t buy a passive solar energy system as a simple add on.
Collect store and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter months.
E 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 energy works by absorbing solar radiation and retaining heat through the use of thermal mass.
This is a term that refers to any material that stores heat.
Passive solar techniques produce a cooler or warmer air temperature in a building by using the sun s energy without any electrical equipment such as solar panels.
Passive solar energy is a type of building design that collects and distributes solar energy in the form of heat around the home in the winter and also prevents excess heating in the summer.
There are three main components to an effective passive solar design.