Designing buildings that require less energy to heat, cool, and light means allowing the natural energy of the sun and wind to reduce the burden on the mechanical and electrical systems. Basic design decisions regarding size, orientation, and form have a great impact on the sustainability, cost, and comfort of a building. Heating, Cooling, and Lighting provides detailed guidance for each phase of a design project. Readers will:
- Understand the concept of sustainability as applied to energy sources
- Review the basic principles of thermal comfort, and the critical role of climate
- Learn the fundamentals of solar responsive design, including active and passive solar systems as well as photovoltaics
- Discover how siting, architectural design, and landscaping can reduce the requirements for mechanical and electrical systems
In sustainable design, mechanical, and electrical systems should be used to only accomplish what the architect could not by the design of the building itself. With this in mind, designers require a comprehensive understanding of both the properties of energy and the human factors involved in thermal comfort. Heating, Cooling, and Lighting is the complete, industry-leading resource for designers interested in sustainable environmental control.