A computer-aided design tool for assisting the designer to set appropriate passive solar systems for heating and cooling is presented. The system is based on a knowledge base oriented design process (KBDP). The knowledge base stores design guidelines and procedural methods for determining the passive systems that best suit the local climatic conditions. This tool is aimed to be used already at ...

Design innovations and government-sponsored financial incentives are making solar energy increasingly attractive to homeowners and institutional customers such as school districts. In particular, the passive solar design concept of daylighting is gaining favor among educators due to evidence of improved performance by students working in daylit classrooms. Electricity-generating photovoltaic sy...

Natural ventilation is among those effective methods that is useful in hot dry climates. One of its important uses is in the atrium spaces in the office buildings. Although, as a passive solution, it has a significant impact on the reduction of energy consumption, the control of inlet and outflow of air as well as the control of air current temperature has always been a challenge for architects...

A solar still is a viable option when the demand of potable water does not exceed more than 3 litres. Enhancement in distillate output from the solar still is a main goal of many researchers all over the world. In this research, the effect of copper and aluminium plates on distillate output is investigated experimentally as well as theoretically at different water depths under the same climate ...

passive solar systems such as solar chimneys need solar radiation in order to work. therefore, they cannot present stable natural ventilation when solar energy vanishes: to have a more robust and stable condition, solar energy should be stored during the day and released back during the night. phase change materials can save additional thermal energy during the day and release it during the nig...

The Solar Envelope is a three dimensional envelope on a site which ensures adjacent neighbors a specified minimum direct solar access time per day throughout the year. The solar envelope was developed as a tool to give buildings in an urban setting the mutual opportunity to employ passive and active solar design strategies. Parametric computeraided-design (CAD) environments significantly ease t...

Currently, green rating systems are mainly utilized for correctly sizing mechanical and electrical systems, which have short lifetime expectancies. In these systems, passive solar and bio-climatic architecture, which have long lifetime expectancies, are neglected. Urban rating systems consider buildings and services in addition to neighborhoods and public transportation as integral parts of the...