A Presentation on Passive Design Strategies in Architecture

This is a presentation on theoretical study of Passive Design Strategies in Architecture

1. Presentation on
Passive Design Strategies

Presented by:- Kartabya Regmi

2. Contents
General Introduction
Passive Design Strategies
Key elements of Passive Design Strategies
Examples of Passive Design System
Advantages and Disadvantages of Passive Design
Conclusion
Bibliography
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3. Introduction
❏A practice of building design which uses the
building architecture to minimize energy
consumption
❏Design based on local climate with maximum
utilization of natural resources and energy
❏More in practice in recent times
❏Vision - Eliminate requirements for active
mechanical systems and maintain user
comfort
Pic:- House based on Passive Design

4. Passive Design Strategies
❏Strategies that are studied theoretically
before design process
❏Mainly involves the interrelation
between heating and cooling
performance of the building
❏Looks to take advantage of naturally
available energy
❏Active Design Strategies tends to come in
design once Passive Design Strategies are
implemented
❏Mainly four strategies within it
Pic:- Passive Design Planning

5. 1)Passive Heating
❏Focuses on making maximum advantage of
the sun’s energy for heating
❏Achieved by combining good design with
effective insulation, harnessing solar gain
❏Two key aspects:-
i) Capturing the right amount of sunlight
through windows
ii) Managing that free heat to keep the
house at a comfortable temperature
Fig:- Elements of Passive Solar Heating

6. 2) Passive Cooling
❏Approach that focuses on heat gain control
and heat dissipation in a building
❏Prevent the building from overheating by
blocking solar gains and removing internal
heat gains
❏Aided by small details and elements of the
building, design and site itself
❏Balancing the surrounding temperature with
internal temperature
Fig:- Elements of Passive Cooling Design

7. 3) Passive Ventilation
❏Uses naturally occurring air flow patterns
around and in a building to introduce outdoor
air into the space
❏Utilizing the flowing of wind and natural air
rather than avoiding them
❏Positioning of building envelope and openings
are important for passive ventilation
Fig:- Elements of Passive Ventilation

8. 4) Daylighting
❏Sunlight among the most important energy
form for day-to-day life
❏Maximizes the use and distribution of natural
diffused daylight throughout a building’s
interior
❏Reduces the need for artificial lighting in the
building
❏Associated with solar heating design as well
Pic:- Design for utilization of maximum sunlight

9. Key Features/Elements
These strategies are implemented practically with the help of small elements or
features associated with the building and site. There are some key elements for it.
Orientation
Passive
Design
Strategies
Location
Layout
Thermal
Mass
Insulation
Shading
Ventilation
Daylighting

10. Orientation
❏Involves both Passive heating and cooling
strategies since sun’s path is essential
❏Way of placing the house on its site so that
users can take advantage of climatic features
❏Reduces the need for auxiliary heating and
cooling
❏Sun’s path and wind directions play key roles
for this element
Fig:-Orientation of building

11. Location
❏Locating building in southern boundary of its
site for maximum solar input
❏Helps in preventing shading problems and
opens up outdoor space in the site
❏However, climatic conditions of the site can
change this practice practically
❏Wind direction and breezes might be essential
for houses in hot region
Fig:- Building located in southern side in the site

12. Layout
❏Rooms and outdoor spaces should be located to
maximise comfort during use
❏Living areas and spaces should be exposed more
to the side where solar gain can be achieved
❏Less used spaces in lower solar gaining spaces
❏Concepts like Vastushastra can play a role for
this
Fig:- Planning layout for solar gain

13. Thermal Mass
❏Ability of a material to absorb and store heat energy
❏Works by exposing a high-density material in the
building’s interior to direct sunlight
❏Special wall known as Trombe Wall is in use
nowadays
❏Trombe Wall - sun-facing, glazed external wall
absorbing heat from the sun during the day in
order to slowly release it to the interior at night
Fig:- Working principle of Trombe Wall

14. Daylighting
❏Utilizing the quantity and even distribution of
daylight throughout a building by collecting
natural light and reflecting it into darker areas of
the building
❏Principles for utilizing natural lighting:-
i) Utilizing diffused sunlight
ii) Avoiding over-glazing
❏Tall windows with high ceilings, bright interior
colours and clerestories are some features that
can help in utilizing maximum daylight
Pic:- Clerestory windows
Fig:- Utilization of daylight

15. Ventilation
❏Natural ventilation forms when air is exchanged in a
building through the openings in it's envelope with the help
of wind pressures
❏Helps to maintain the building temperature with the
surrounding temperature
❏Two types of natural ventilation:-
i) Wind-driven Ventilation - formed by difference in
pressures by flowing wind around a building
ii) Buoyancy-driven Ventilation - formed by temperature
differences between the interior and exterior surroundings
Fig:- Natural Ventilation System

16. Shading
❏Designed with the consideration of the sun's path in
summer and winter
❏Overhangs used in windows for reducing unwanted heat
gain in the summer
❏Overhangs not effective on east and west facing windows
❏Vegetation can also be used as shading device for window
❏Devices/forms used for shading are:-
i) For Internal Shading - Curtains, Vertical Blinds, Roller
Blinds, etc.
ii) For External Shading - Eaves, Awnings, Screens and
Shutters, Verandas, Pergolas, Trees and Shrubs


Fig:- Shading techniques
Fig:- Shading device

17. Insulation
❏Acts as a barrier to heat flow
❏Reducing heat loss in winter to keep the house warm
❏Reducing heat gain in summer to keep the house cool
❏Helps the building envelope to resist the conductive flow of heat
❏Climatic conditions determine the appropriate level of insulation that is required in the
building
❏Two types of insulation used mainly:-
i) Bulk Insulation - resists the transfer of conducted and convected heat, relying on pockets
of trapped air within its structure. Glass wool, polyester, cellulose fibre are the materials
used.
ii) Reflective Insulation - resists radiant heat flow due to its high reflectivity and emissivity

18. Examples of Passive Design System
Trombe Wall used at Zion Visitor Center at
Zion National Park in Utah
Metal panels framing a south-facing extension
provide shading to the glass at nominal cost
Orientation of large and efficient windows, thermal mass
of hill providing insulation and usage of local stones as
materials in facade represents good passive house.



This building in Jaipur, India has perforated screen "Jaali" as an exterior the
walls of the building. This double layer acts a thermal buffer, filtering air,
light and privacy from surroundings to buildings

19. Advantages and Disadvantages of Passive Design
Advantages
❏Sustainable and energy efficient
buildings
❏Comfortable space and interior
❏Maximum use of natural resources
❏Environment friendly buildings
Disadvantages
❏Expensive upfront cost during
installation
❏Can be implemented to optimal
standards only in new construction
❏Climate and surrounding dependent

20. Conclusion
❏Passive Design System is a modern way of
designing buildings accommodating with the
environment
❏Environment friendly and comfortable space
will assist human beings in long term
❏Needs time and effort for study because of
different aspects and elements
❏Costly but sustainable in long term

21. Bibliography
https://sustainability.williams.edu/green-building-basics/passive-solar-design/

https://www.archdaily.com/900418/how-to-implement-passive-solar-design-in-yourarchitecture-projects

http://www.level.org.nz/passive-design/

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Passive_building_design

https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/passive-designstrategies#:~:text=Active%20strategies%20usually
%20consist%20of,advantage%20of%20natural%20ventilation%20opportunities .

https://www.climatecolab.org/contests/2014/buildings/c/proposal/1309226

https://www.yourhome.gov.au/passivedesign#:~:text=Passive%20design%20utilises%20natural%20sources,an
d%20floors%20of%20a%20home ).

https://www.rockwool.com/group/about-us/our-thinking/energy-efficiency/passive-houses/

https://hmcarchitects.com/news/passive-daylighting-systems-could-transform-thearchitecture-of-natural-li
ght-2019-05-24/#:~:text=As%20soon%20as%20the%20sun,key%20areas%20in%20the%20room .

http://www.solar365.com/green-homes/windows-doors/clerestory-windows-passive-solarhome

22. THANK YOU!