Passive Solar Design Series - Understanding Sun from Udemy

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Passive solar design is a fundamental approach to designing buildings that are sustainable. Climate and solar responsive strategies are inherent to passive buildings. Such strategies meet the heating and cooling requirements of buildings by harnessing natural resources. This further reduces the energy required for heating and cooling buildings using mechanical equipment.

This ‘Passive Solar Design Series’ have been developed to cover all aspects of climate responsive design. The first course in this series will get you started with solar geometry and showcase application in design. Sun path diagram is a powerful design tool that can be used to determine building form, shading devices and other strategies during schematic design stages.

This course intends to refresh the fundamentals and show potential application in real world design process. At the end of the course, you will be inspired and walk away with ideas on integrating the principles in your design process.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Recall fundamentals
Understand solar geometry

Use a sunpath diagram
Realize application of a sun path diagram

Recall fundamentals
Understand solar geometry
Use a sunpath diagram
Realize application of a sun path diagram

Syllabus

This short course has six sections. Feel free to go thru the preview to get a feel for the course.

Know what is the course about, how it is structured and what to expect.

This module brings out the relevance of solar geometry in context of passive solar design and its importance today.

This module is a refresher of the basics of earth and sun relationship. This clarity will help further understanding solar geometry with respect to buildings

This module will explain in detail about solar geometry and how it impacts our design decisions.

Learn about this simple and powerful design tool used in the passive solar design process.

Learn how all the concepts discussed so far can be applied in practice to design passive solar buildings.

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Explores solar geometry, which is a fundamental aspect of sustainable building design and crucial for architects focusing on energy efficiency

Refreshes the fundamentals of earth and sun relationships, providing a solid foundation for those new to passive solar design principles

Showcases the application of sun path diagrams, a powerful tool for determining building form and shading strategies during the early design stages

Focuses on passive solar design, which requires climate-responsive strategies that may not be applicable in all geographic locations

Reviews summary

Understanding passive solar design fundamentals

According to learners, this course provides a clear and concise introduction to the fundamentals of passive solar design, particularly focusing on solar geometry and the practical use of sun path diagrams. Students found the explanations easy to follow and appreciated the course's ability to refresh basic concepts and show their real-world application in the design process. While widely praised for its foundational content, some reviews suggest it is best suited for beginners or as a refresher, implying that more experienced designers might find it introductory rather than deeply advanced.

Best for beginners or as a basic refresher.

"Good course for someone new to passive solar design."

"It's a solid introduction, but more experienced designers might want deeper content."

"Served well as a refresher on key concepts."

Short, focused, and well-structured course.

"The course is short and to the point, which I appreciated."

"Well-structured modules that build upon each other."

"Easy to complete and covers the essentials efficiently."

Shows how concepts apply in practice.

"The section on application in practice was very inspiring and useful."

"It's great to see how these principles translate to actual design decisions."

"Gave me concrete ideas for integrating passive solar into my projects."

Provides a strong, easy-to-understand foundation.

"This course provided a strong foundation for understanding passive solar design."

"The fundamentals were explained very clearly and concisely."

"It refreshed my understanding of solar geometry basics effectively."

Excellent module on using sun path diagrams.

"The module on sun path diagrams was incredibly helpful and practical."

"I now feel confident using sun path diagrams in my design work."

"Learned how to apply sun path diagrams to real design problems."

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 Passive Solar Design Series - Understanding Sun with these activities:

Review Basic Trigonometry

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Reviewing basic trigonometry will help you better understand the calculations involved in solar geometry and sun path diagrams.

Browse courses on Trigonometry

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Review trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent).
Practice solving problems involving angles and triangles.
Focus on applications relevant to angles of incidence.

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

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Reading this book will provide a more in-depth understanding of passive solar design principles and their application in architecture.

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

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Read chapters related to solar geometry and shading.
Take notes on key concepts and design strategies.
Consider how these strategies can be applied to your own designs.

Create a Sun Path Diagram for Your Location

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Creating a sun path diagram for your specific location will solidify your understanding of solar geometry and its impact on building design.

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Determine your location's latitude and longitude.
Use online tools or software to generate a sun path diagram.
Analyze the diagram to understand solar angles throughout the year.
Document your findings and observations.

Three other activities

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Review 'Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings'

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Understanding how passive solar design integrates with mechanical systems will help you create more efficient and sustainable buildings.

View Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for... on Amazon

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Read sections related to HVAC and lighting systems.
Consider how passive solar strategies can reduce the need for mechanical equipment.
Research examples of buildings that successfully integrate passive and mechanical systems.

Design a Passive Solar Building

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Designing a passive solar building will allow you to apply the concepts learned in the course to a real-world design problem.

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Choose a building type and location.
Analyze the local climate and solar conditions.
Develop a design that maximizes passive solar heating and cooling.
Create drawings and diagrams to illustrate your design.

Presentation on Passive Solar Strategies

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Creating a presentation will help you synthesize your knowledge of passive solar design and communicate it effectively to others.

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Choose a specific topic related to passive solar design.
Research the topic and gather relevant information.
Create a presentation with clear and concise slides.
Practice your presentation and prepare for questions.

Career center

Learners who complete Passive Solar Design Series - Understanding Sun will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Architect

An architect designs buildings and other structures, considering both functionality and aesthetics. This includes an understanding of solar geometry and how it impacts design decisions, so this course helps an architect understand how to maximize natural light and minimize heat gain through effective passive solar design. Using tools like sun path diagrams is also very useful for building form and shading strategies, both of which are essential elements for an architect to consider. Since this course refreshes the fundamentals and shows potential applications in real-world design, it is very useful for an aspiring architect.

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Building Designer

A building designer focuses on the technical aspects of building design, often working closely with architects and engineers. This course's focus on passive solar design and the application of solar geometry directly aligns with the goals of a building designer who seeks to create energy-efficient and sustainable structures. The course also helps a building designer use tools such as sun path diagrams, which are very useful for determining building form and shading. A building designer can use this course to gain a fresh perspective on the fundamentals of building design and add modern techniques to their practice.

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Sustainability Consultant

A sustainability consultant advises organizations on how to minimize their environmental impact. This course gives the sustainability consultant a solid understanding of passive solar design, allowing them to be able to advise clients on how to reduce energy consumption in buildings. The course's focus on solar geometry and tools like sun path diagrams will be very helpful, as understanding these subjects is critical to implementing sustainable design strategies. A sustainability consultant will find this course valuable since it showcases how to integrate sustainable principles into design, allowing them to better help clients.

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Environmental Designer

An environmental designer focuses on creating spaces that are in harmony with the natural environment. This often includes an emphasis on passive solar design, so this course that examines solar geometry and its application to building design will be extremely helpful. An environmental designer will find the use of sun path diagrams to be a critical skill this course can help with. A grasp of the principles of passive solar design allows an environmental designer to create more sustainable and energy efficient spaces. The environmental designer will benefit from a study of this course.

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Urban Planner

An urban planner develops plans and programs for the growth and development of cities and regions. This course may be useful for an urban planner because it outlines passive solar design principles and helps with understanding how solar geometry and sun path diagrams can impact building design within the urban landscape. It also addresses how buildings can be built to harness natural resources and reduce energy use with smart design. This course offers the urban planner another strategy for creating more sustainable urban environments, and helps them understand how design effects the built environment.

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Construction Manager

A construction manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of a construction project, from planning to completion. While they don't always directly design a building, they do need to understand how efficient and sustainable building design works in practice. This course's emphasis on passive solar design principles, as well as solar geometry and the use of sun path diagrams, may be useful for a construction manager. The construction manager can use this knowledge to help ensure that a building is constructed according to sustainable and efficient design principles. This course will inform the decisions they make about construction.

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Interior designer

An interior designer focuses on making interior spaces functional and aesthetically pleasing. Understanding how building design affects interior space is crucial. This course may be useful for an interior designer because it covers how to maximize natural light and minimize heat gain through effective passive solar design. The course's emphasis of tools such as sun path diagrams can help an interior designer understand how the building is oriented and how natural light impacts interior spaces. The interior designer can then make informed decisions about interior design strategies. This course will provide a useful perspective for interior design.

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Real Estate Developer

A real estate developer is responsible for identifying opportunities and managing projects from concept to completion. This course may be useful for a real estate developer because it provides insights into passive solar design, which can increase a property's value and appeal to energy conscious buyers. Understanding the basics of solar geometry gained in this course can help the real estate developer make informed decisions about site selection and building orientation. The real estate developer can leverage this course to improve the marketability of their properties. This course will help them to make informed decisions about a project.

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Civil Engineer

A civil engineer designs and oversees the construction of infrastructure projects, such as roads, bridges, and buildings. This course may be helpful for a civil engineer because it examines how to minimize the environmental impact of building and infrastructure projects. Understanding passive solar design and the use of tools like the sun path diagram will help a civil engineer create more sustainable infrastructure. The civil engineer will also be able to apply principles of solar geometry to design projects. This gives them an extra edge when considering environmental impact.

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Landscape Architect

A landscape architect designs outdoor spaces to make them functional and aesthetically pleasing. This course may be helpful to a landscape architect as it looks at how to maximize natural light and minimize heat gain through passive solar design strategies and the use of sun path diagrams, both of which are very useful for effective site planning. The landscape architect will also gain a helpful understanding of solar geometry, which helps create designs that leverage natural resources. A landscape architect may be able to use this course to better integrate design with the existing environment.

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Draftsperson

A draftsperson creates technical drawings and plans for buildings and other structures. While this course does not directly teach drafting skills, it does introduce the concepts of solar geometry and the use of sun path diagrams, which are essential elements used in building plans. A draftsperson who takes this course can build a foundation in passive solar design and how it impacts the building process. This course will provide an informative perspective.

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Mechanical Engineer

A mechanical engineer designs and develops mechanical systems for buildings and other structures. This course may be useful for a mechanical engineer because it explores how to reduce the energy required for heating and cooling buildings, which is information useful to the mechanical engineer who designs HVAC systems for buildings. An understanding of solar geometry and the use of sun path diagrams could also help a mechanical engineer design more energy-efficient systems. The mechanical engineer may benefit from the information about how passive solar design works.

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Solar Panel Installer

A solar panel installer installs and maintains solar panel systems on buildings. While this course does not directly teach about solar panel system installation, it does introduce the concepts of passive solar design, solar geometry, and the use of sun path diagrams. An understanding of these concepts could help a solar panel installer understand how solar resources can be utilized more effectively. This knowledge will allow a solar panel installer to be more knowledgeable about sustainable design.

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Energy Auditor

An energy auditor evaluates the energy efficiency of buildings and recommends changes to reduce energy consumption. This course may be helpful for an energy auditor as it introduces passive solar design elements that can be used in buildings to reduce the need for mechanical systems. The course also discusses the use of sun path diagrams and solar geometry, both of which are concepts that an energy auditor should have a grasp of to do their job well. The energy auditor may find this course valuable for understanding how to implement energy saving strategies.

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Construction Laborer

A construction laborer performs many on-site duties during construction projects, including physical labor and following construction plans. While a construction laborer does not directly create building plans, they may be interested in understanding passive solar design and how it impacts construction. This course introduces concepts of solar geometry, and the use of sun path diagrams, which can help laborers understand the process better. The laborer may find this course to be useful when learning about construction.

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Passive Solar Design Series - Understanding Sun

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Understanding passive solar design fundamentals

Activities

Career center

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