Passive design is the key to sustainable building. It responds to local climate and site conditions to maximise building users’ comfort and health while minimising energy use.
It achieves this by using free, renewable sources of energy such as sun and wind to provide household heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting, thereby reducing or removing the need for mechanical heating or cooling. Using passive design can reduce temperature fluctuations, improve indoor air quality and make a home drier and more enjoyable to live in.
It can also reduce energy use and environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions. For most parts of New Zealand, well integrated passive solar home design results in comfortable internal temperatures of between 18°C and 25°C with minimal (or no) costs year round.
Interest in passive design has grown, particularly in the last decade or so, as part of a movement towards more comfortable and resource-efficient buildings.
The key elements of passive design are building location and orientation on the site, building layout, window design, insulation (including window insulation), thermal mass, shading and ventilation. Each of these elements works with others to achieve comfortable temperatures and good indoor air quality.
All of these elements work alongside each other and therefore should be considered holistically. For example, large windows that admit high levels of natural light might also result in excessive heat gain, especially if they cast light on an area of thermal mass. Similarly, opening windows that provide ventilation will also let in noise.
It achieves this by using free, renewable sources of energy such as sun and wind to provide household heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting, thereby reducing or removing the need for mechanical heating or cooling. Using passive design can reduce temperature fluctuations, improve indoor air quality and make a home drier and more enjoyable to live in.
It can also reduce energy use and environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions. For most parts of New Zealand, well integrated passive solar home design results in comfortable internal temperatures of between 18°C and 25°C with minimal (or no) costs year round.
Interest in passive design has grown, particularly in the last decade or so, as part of a movement towards more comfortable and resource-efficient buildings.
The key elements of passive design are building location and orientation on the site, building layout, window design, insulation (including window insulation), thermal mass, shading and ventilation. Each of these elements works with others to achieve comfortable temperatures and good indoor air quality.
All of these elements work alongside each other and therefore should be considered holistically. For example, large windows that admit high levels of natural light might also result in excessive heat gain, especially if they cast light on an area of thermal mass. Similarly, opening windows that provide ventilation will also let in noise.
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