Fundamentals of Passive Solar Design from Udemy

Are you looking to level up your architectural design? Would you like to optimize your building's performance and discover how to create spaces that feel more comfortable and warm?

Whether you're a professional or a design enthusiast, this course is ideal for anyone who's into sustainable architectural design and wants to profoundly understand how to exploit solar design.

Solar radiation is the biggest renewable energy source on Earth and passive solar design shows us how to take full advantage of it without complicated installations, no hardware and barely no additional cost at all.

During this course:

The different approaches to passive solar design and the indispensable elements needed to build one.
How heat is transferred and stored in passive solar systems.
The thermodynamics basics behind passive solar design, such as how we benefit from the greenhouse effect.
We'll go through the different passive solar systems and how to adequately implement each one of them.
Orientation, shape and space distribution tips to boost solar performance.
We'll go over some case studies that evidence the energetic and thermal impact successful solar design can have.

Can't wait to walk you through the everything there is to know about the fundamentals of passive solar design. See you soon.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Easy-to-understand information about the design and application of passive solar systems
The main patterns that influence the effectiveness of solar heating
Technical information about passive solar design through simple illustrations
What passive solar design is and how it relates to sustainability
What role the greenhouse effect plays in passive solar design

How energy is transfered and stored in a passive solar systems
The physical properties you're looking for in the materials that make up your passive solar design
The existent strategies to capture solar radiation and how to implement them
How to read solar maps and how this will be useful while creating your design
Optimal building shape and interior space distribution for successful passive solar design

Easy-to-understand information about the design and application of passive solar systems
The main patterns that influence the effectiveness of solar heating
Technical information about passive solar design through simple illustrations
What passive solar design is and how it relates to sustainability
What role the greenhouse effect plays in passive solar design
How energy is transfered and stored in a passive solar systems
The physical properties you're looking for in the materials that make up your passive solar design
The existent strategies to capture solar radiation and how to implement them
How to read solar maps and how this will be useful while creating your design
Optimal building shape and interior space distribution for successful passive solar design

Syllabus

Introduction

How passive solar design relates to sustainability

The 5 elements of passive solar design

Approaches to passive solar heating

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores passive solar design, which can help architects optimize building performance and create more comfortable and energy-efficient spaces

Covers the thermodynamics behind passive solar design, including the greenhouse effect, which is essential for understanding building science

Examines case studies of successful solar designs, which can provide practical insights and inspiration for real-world applications

Discusses the importance of location, orientation, and building shape, which are critical factors in maximizing solar performance

Teaches about different passive solar systems, such as direct gain, Trombe wall, roof pond, and attached greenhouse, which are standard approaches

Requires learners to understand heat transfer and storage, which are concepts that may require some prior knowledge of physics

Reviews summary

Fundamentals of passive solar: beginner intro

According to learners, this course provides a solid introduction to the core principles of passive solar design. Many found the explanations of fundamental concepts, such as heat transfer and thermodynamics, to be exceptionally clear and easy to understand. Students feel it is an excellent starting point, particularly for those with no prior knowledge or beginners in architectural design looking to incorporate sustainability. The course offers practical advice on elements like building orientation and material selection. While widely praised for its foundational coverage, some more experienced reviewers felt the course lacked sufficient depth on advanced topics or technical calculations, suggesting it may be primarily geared towards enthusiasts or those needing a basic overview rather than seasoned professionals.

Offers useful, actionable design tips.

"The tips on building orientation and space distribution were really practical and easy to apply."

"I learned how material properties impact design, which is very useful."

"Good advice on selecting the right passive solar system strategy."

Excellent starting point for those new to the topic.

"This was the perfect course for someone like me just starting out in passive solar design."

"It gave me a really solid foundation without being overwhelming."

"I had no prior knowledge and found it easy to follow from start to finish."

Concepts like heat transfer are explained clearly.

"The explanations on heat transfer and thermodynamics were exceptionally clear for me."

"Complex concepts were broken down into simple, understandable language."

"I finally understood the greenhouse effect after taking this course."

May be too basic for advanced learners.

"As an architect with some background, I found this course too basic and lacking in technical depth."

"I was hoping for more detail on calculations or specific software applications."

"It's a good intro, but it doesn't go deep enough for professionals needing advanced knowledge."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Fundamentals of Passive Solar Design with these activities:

Review Thermodynamics Principles

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Refresh your understanding of thermodynamics to better grasp the principles behind heat transfer and storage in passive solar design.

Browse courses on Thermodynamics

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Review the laws of thermodynamics.
Study heat transfer mechanisms: conduction, convection, and radiation.
Understand the concept of thermal mass and its role in heat storage.

Explore 'Passive Solar Architecture: A Design Manual'

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Study a design manual to gain a practical understanding of passive solar architecture principles and their application in residential buildings.

View Passive Solar Architecture Pocket Reference... on Amazon

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Read the sections on direct gain, indirect gain, and isolated gain systems.
Examine the case studies and examples provided in the book.
Consider how these principles can be applied to your own design projects.

Read 'Sun, Wind, and Light: Architectural Design Strategies'

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Study a comprehensive guide on climate-responsive design strategies to deepen your understanding of passive solar heating and cooling techniques.

View Sun, Wind, and Light: Architectural Design... on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to passive solar design.
Take notes on key concepts and design strategies.
Reflect on how these strategies can be applied to different building types and climates.

Four other activities

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Follow Online Tutorials on SketchUp for Solar Analysis

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Learn how to use SketchUp and its plugins to model buildings and analyze their solar performance.

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Find tutorials on using SketchUp for solar analysis.
Practice modeling a simple building in SketchUp.
Use plugins like Shadow Analysis to simulate solar shading.

Create a Solar Site Analysis Report

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Develop a report analyzing the solar potential of a specific site, including shading analysis and optimal orientation for passive solar design.

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Choose a specific site for your analysis.
Use online tools or software to perform a shading analysis.
Determine the optimal orientation for passive solar gain.
Write a report summarizing your findings and recommendations.

Design a Passive Solar Home

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Apply the principles learned in the course by designing a passive solar home for a specific climate and location.

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Select a specific climate and location for your design.
Determine the heating and cooling needs of the building.
Incorporate appropriate passive solar design strategies, such as direct gain, indirect gain, or isolated gain.
Create a sketch or model of your design.

Build a Scale Model of a Passive Solar Design

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Solidify your understanding by physically constructing a scale model of a passive solar design, paying attention to orientation, materials, and shading.

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Choose a passive solar design to model.
Gather materials such as cardboard, foam board, and transparent plastic.
Build the model to scale, paying attention to detail.
Test the model's performance under sunlight.

Career center

Learners who complete Fundamentals of Passive Solar Design will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Building Designer

A building designer focuses on the functional and aesthetic aspects of a structure, as well as its energy efficiency. This course would benefit a building designer because it covers the indispensable elements of passive solar design and how to implement them. A building designer should take this course to deepen their understanding of how solar radiation can be harnessed to create comfortable and energy-efficient spaces, focusing on the thermodynamics behind passive solar design and practical approaches to implementation with a variety of systems, such as direct gain, trombe walls, and roof ponds.

See salaries and explore the career path for Building Designer

Energy Efficiency Specialist

An energy efficiency specialist works to improve how energy is used in buildings and infrastructure. This course is directly relevant to an energy efficiency specialist because it teaches practical methods to reduce energy usage with passive solar design. An energy efficiency specialist should take this course to learn how fundamental design choices, such as building orientation and space distribution, can impact a building's performance. Specifically, the course's focus on heat transfer and storage in passive solar systems will help inform energy-efficient design strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Energy Efficiency Specialist

Architect

An architect designs buildings and other structures, and knowledge of passive solar design is highly valuable for creating energy-efficient and sustainable designs. This course is ideal for aspiring architects to learn how to optimize building performance by using solar radiation, which can be accomplished through understanding heat transfer and how passive systems work. An architect should take this course because it teaches the fundamental principles of passive solar design, including location and orientation, building shape, and space distribution, all of which are essential for designing buildings that maximize natural heating and minimize energy use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Architect

Renewable Energy Consultant

A renewable energy consultant advises clients on how to use renewable energy strategies. This course is valuable for a renewable energy consultant because it focuses on passive solar design, which is a key element of renewable energy. A renewable energy consultant should take this course to learn how to optimize building performance through the use of solar radiation, especially because the course covers approaches to passive solar heating and how to implement various passive solar systems, like direct gain and those with indirect gain.

See salaries and explore the career path for Renewable Energy Consultant

Sustainability Consultant

A sustainability consultant helps businesses and organizations adopt environmentally friendly practices. This course is useful for a sustainability consultant, especially since it focuses on solar design strategies. A sustainability consultant should take this course to learn how passive solar systems can be implemented in building design to reduce reliance on traditional energy sources. This course specifically covers the relationship between passive solar design and sustainability, including how to capture solar radiation, a key component of sustainable building practices.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sustainability Consultant

Draftsman

A draftsman creates technical drawings and plans for building projects. A draftsman should take this course to improve knowledge of the technical aspects of passive solar design, which they can then incorporate into their work. For a draftsman, understanding the principles of passive solar design is important to accurately represent the system, and this course covers the fundamental principles and technical aspects through simple illustrations, making it easier for a draftsman to apply the concepts.

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Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Engineer

A heating ventilation and air conditioning engineer, known as an HVAC engineer, designs and oversees the installation of climate control systems in buildings. An HVAC engineer may find this course useful, since it discusses the thermodynamics behind passive solar design, which is important to the work of engineers who design building systems. An HVAC engineer should take this course to learn more about how passive solar design can reduce the energy loads of buildings, specifically by understanding heat transfer and storage of energy within passive solar systems.

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Environmental Engineer

An environmental engineer works to solve environmental problems using engineering principles. This course may be useful for an environmental engineer with an interest in sustainable building design, due to the course's focus on passive solar design and how it relates to sustainability. An environmental engineer should take this course to learn more about the basic concepts of passive solar design and how sustainable design practices can be used to reduce the environmental impacts of buildings. In particular, the course dives into how passive solar systems function and how location and orientation affect design.

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Facilities Manager

A facilities manager is in charge of the maintenance and upkeep of buildings and their systems. A facilities manager may find this course useful because it provides an understanding of the specific features of passive solar design, that can be used while maintaining buildings. A facilities manager should take this course to learn about the fundamental principles of passive solar design, such as heat transfer and storage, and how these systems impact the daily operations and maintenance needs of a building that has a passive solar system.

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Building Inspector

A building inspector examines buildings to ensure they meet safety and construction standards. A building inspector might find this course helpful because it provides an understanding of passive solar systems and how they are implemented. A building inspector should take this course to learn how the different elements of passive solar design should function, especially the specific features and components of various passive solar systems like direct gain or Trombe walls, and how their proper implementation contributes to overall building performance.

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Interior designer

An interior designer plans and designs interior spaces to be aesthetically pleasing and functional. An interior designer may find this course helpful because the course discusses space distribution for optimizing solar performance. An interior designer should take this course to help understand how passive solar design can be integrated into interior spaces for improved comfort and energy efficiency, specifically paying attention to how window placement and building shape can impact thermal comfort inside the building.

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Construction Manager

A construction manager oversees building projects from start to finish. This course may be useful for a construction manager, because the course provides an understanding of passive solar design principles that can be used during construction processes. A construction manager can take this course to develop a basic understanding of how passive solar systems work. This could help in the proper implementation of design plans that incorporate strategies for capturing solar radiation, ultimately leading to energy-efficient structures.

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Urban Planner

An urban planner develops plans for land use and development in cities and communities. This course may be useful for an urban planner interested in sustainable development, because it details passive solar design techniques that could inform city planning projects. An urban planner may take this course to learn about how building orientation and space distribution can impact energy consumption at a larger scale, especially because the course goes over location and orientation in the context of passive solar building design and systems.

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Real Estate Developer

A real estate developer oversees the creation of real estate projects, from initial planning to completion. This course may be useful for a real estate developer, since it provides knowledge about the importance of passive solar design and strategies for capturing solar radiation, which can lead to more marketable properties. A real estate developer should take this course to learn about the value of energy-efficient designs, like how the greenhouse effect influences passive solar design and how different system implementations affect building performance, potentially increasing the value of a development.

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Landscape Architect

A landscape architect designs outdoor spaces, including gardens and parks. A landscape architect may find this course useful to understand how the design of the surrounding landscapes can impact the performance of passive solar systems. In particular, a landscape architect should take this course because it explores crucial factors like location and orientation, which influence building performance and can be influenced by landscaping elements. This course helps build a greater understanding of solar radiation and its impact on a property.

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Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Fundamentals of Passive Solar Design.

Sun, Wind, and Light: Architectural Design...

Save

Comprehensive guide to climate-responsive design strategies. It covers passive solar heating and cooling techniques in detail, providing practical guidance for architects and designers. It serves as a valuable reference for understanding how to integrate solar principles into building design. This book expands on the course material by providing detailed case studies and design strategies.

Sun, Wind, and Light: Architectural Design...

Spiral-bound

$$$

Passive Solar Architecture Pocket Reference

Save

This manual provides a practical and accessible introduction to passive solar design principles. It covers the fundamentals of solar energy, heat transfer, and building design, with a focus on residential applications. is particularly useful for beginners as it provides a clear and concise overview of the key concepts. It good additional reading to reinforce the course material.

Passive Solar Architecture Pocket Reference (Energy...

Hardcover

$$$$

Passive Solar Architecture Pocket Reference (Energy...

Kindle Edition