Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

A Checklist For Building An Energy Efficient Home In Florida, Florida Solar Energy Center, Michael Houston

FSEC Energy Research Center®

To design and build an energy-efficient home in Florida, seriously consider each of the steps listed here. Some are common sense, most are relatively inexpensive, and all add up to much lower energy bills. In fact, by following this checklist, you could expect to be very comfortable year round in your home and save about 30%-50% on your utility bills.

Photovoltaic Cells: Common Power Source For Tomorrow?, Florida Solar Energy Center, Arthur Litka

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The word "photovoltaic" combines the scientific terms "photo", meaning light, and "voltaic", meaning voltage. Together, the terms mean voltage generated by light energy. Specially treated silicon, or another substance, is manufactured in such a way that when light strikes it electricity is produced. The cells have no moving parts, and they are durable. They are commonly called solar cells.

Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation: A Literature Review. Final Report, Task 1. Volumes 1 & 2. 01-29-82. Copies 1, 2, Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This is the final report on Task 1 of this contract. This literature review has been prepared in two volumes. Volume one is a summary of the state of the art. Volume two contains a summary of each major reference, a matrix relating the subject matter to various aspects of ventilative cooling and a compilation of airflow around and through buildings observed in wind tunnel studies.

Field Monitoring Of Naturally Ventilated Residences. Preliminary Report On Task 2 Of Contract De-Aco3-80sf11510 "Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation." 12-31-81., Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This is an interim report on Task 2 of contract "Passive Cooling by Natural Ventilation - DE-AC03-80SF11510" from the Department of Energy, San Francisco Operations Office. Florida Solar Energy Center is the prime contractor. The contract consists of five major tasks to quantitativelyI assess the potential of natural ventilation for summertime cooling of buildings and people.

Passive Cooling And Human Comfort, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip W. Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Comfort within buildings is primarily controlled by four major factors: air temperature, mean radiant temperature, humidity and airflow. Each can have a dominating effect. Their effects are not necessarily additive and practically never linear. There are, additionally, other factors which affect comfort including clothing, activity level and climatization. Some psychological triggers, such as certain colors, also seem to affect comfort, and "state of mind" can have major effects on individual comfort sensations. Comfort zones, therefore, are very generally defined as the zone in which 80 percent of the population will experience the sensation of thermal comfort.

Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation: A Literature Review. 11-10-81. 40 P., Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the existing body of knowledge in natural ventilation and point out areas of research the authors have undertaken.

Instrumentation And Data Acquisition Plans For Field Monitoring (Task 2). Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation. 01-20-81. 1 V (Various Pagings) (Superseded By Fsec-Cr-81-17), Florida Solar Energy Center, Omar Hancock

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The purpose of this report is to describe the data acquisition system, sensors, calibration and installation procedures.

Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation Project Reports...12-80. 01-09-81., Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Project status report for December 1980.

Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation Project Reports...November 1980. 12-12-80 3 P., Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip W. Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Project Status Report

Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation; Contract Management Summary Report...Oct. 1980. Oct. 30, 1980. 18 P., Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This document is a combined monthly report and a management/cost plan.

Concepts In Passive Design #3 Passive Cooling Categorizations, Florida Solar Energy Center

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Editor's Note: While passive solar heating is relatively well evolved, passive cooling is only on the threshold of development, and many of its terms are new to the practicing professional. At the Fourth Annual Passive Cooling Conference this problem was addressed by William W. Holmes of the University of Nebraska with the presentation of a 10-point categorization of cooling techniques. We are indebted to Mr. Holmes for this contribution to the emerging field of passive cooling and present it here as a point of departure and working vocabulary for the design professional.

Concepts In Passive Design #2: Devices For East And West Shading, Florida Solar Energy Center, Ross Mccluney

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A major source of heat in buildings is direct solar radiation through east and west windows--welcome heat energy in cold weather, but a summertime problem. Since Florida has such a long cooling season and generally a short heating season, it is especially important to protect east and west walls, windows, and sliding glass doors from the summer sun while allowing adequate light to enter the building year-round. From a lighting standpoint, natural daylight is on the whole quite good but it can produce unwanted heat and visual glare if not properly controlled.

Concepts In Passive Design #1 Roof Overhangs, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip W. Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A major source of heat in buildings is direct solar radiation through windows--welcome in cold weather, but a problem in hot weather. Since Florida has such a lengthy cooling season, it is most important to protect windows from the sun; however, there are times between November and March when some heat is needed. Fortunately, the change in the sun's path from summer to winter is such that a properly designed roof overhang can protect south-facing windows from the high summer sun, yet allow the lower winter sun to come in.

Thermosiphon System, Florida Solar Energy Center

FSEC Energy Research Center®

In a THERMOSIPHON SYSTEM, cold water from the bottom of the elevated storage tank flows to the lowest point in the system (which is the bottom of the solar collector).

As it is warmed it becomes less dense and flows up to a side port near, but not at, the top of the storage tank. If the tank is about two feet above the top of the collector, the system will not back-siphon at night. If back-siphoning were to occur, the warm water would be cooled during its passage through the dormant collector. Thermosiphoning systems have no moving parts and …