North facing roof windows direct sunlight onto suspended slab in the Surrey Hills house. Passive solar design uses a combination of windows, shading and thermal mass to regulate temperature inside a building. Passive solar design features include: In the northern hemisphere, south-facing windows get the sunlight. External links
Category: Sustainable features
Water wise garden
A water wise garden can save a lot of water. Tips for creating a water wise garden: External links
LED low energy lighting
Low energy light emitting diodes (LED) can greatly reduce energy consumption associated with both domestic and commercial lighting. They can be be used for: Light Emitting Diodes are among the most energy-efficient light sources available on the market. LED lamps are already today more than five times more efficient than incandescent lamps and future technical achievements offer… Continue reading LED low energy lighting
Building energy efficiency standards
Building energy efficiency standards are regarded as an effective means of reducing or eliminating the greenhouse gas emissions of residential and commercial buildings. Australia National standards for building energy efficiency The Australian Government has conducted studies into the greenhouse gas emissions of residential and commercial buildings. These studies show that the building industry must face the… Continue reading Building energy efficiency standards
Thermal mass
Thermal mass refers to the mass of a structure that can act to retain and release heat. This is an important component of passive solar designs. Dense materials such as concrete, rammed earth, and bricks all have good thermal mass properties. Thermal mass works to regulate and dampen down temperature fluctuations in buildings. In summer, the… Continue reading Thermal mass
Shading systems
Shading systems can be used to moderate temperatures in buildings. For example, in North facing windows in the Southern hemisphere and South facing windows in the Northern hemisphere can be shaded during summer to prevent excessive heating occurring in buildings. Shading systems are typically removable (or demountable) so that sunlight is used during cooler months for… Continue reading Shading systems
Insulation
Insulation is a very important feature of sustainable buildings. Good insulation reduces the need to use energy for both heating and cooling. Combined with passive solar design, insulation can mean you avoid using an air conditioner at all on 40 degree Celsius days. Insulation can be retrofitted to existing buildings: See also
Controlling heat gain or loss in buildings
Conceptual change in controlling heat gain or loss in homes Heat energy only flows from a warmer place to a cooler place. The amount of heat flow depends on two things, the temperature difference and the conductivity of the heat flow path. Traditionally, we limit heat flow by placing more resistance (R-value) between the two… Continue reading Controlling heat gain or loss in buildings