Showing results 1 - 43 of 43
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A battery storage system can provide reliable back-up power during a grid power outage
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A Corsi-Rosenthal Box is a highly effective DIY air cleaner made of easy to obtain materials such as HVAC filters, a box fan, cardboard, and tape
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A mini-split air-conditioning system can be a highly effective low-energy approach to provide cooling to one designated zone in the house
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A shallow, open floor plan allows free flow of cross ventilation through the house
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Air speeds generated by a typical ceiling fan are in the ideal range for providing occupant cooling without causing disruption
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Airflow can be directed across thermal mass in the ceiling, floor, or elsewhere inside the home through various window and louver configurations
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Casement windows or wing walls can create zones of higher pressure (right) and lower pressure (left) to encourage cross ventilation when wind is flowing parallel to window openings
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Comfort ventilation focuses on airflow over occupants; in this example of wind-driven cross ventilation, the air is directed through the main occupied areas of the bedroom
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Dense hedges can encourage cross ventilation (left image) or not (right image) depending on how they are placed relative to windows
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Earth tubes buried in the ground can provide pre-cooling of ventilation air or primary cooling if designed deep and long enough
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Even when wind is blowing parallel to a wall, an open casement window can create a zone of higher pressure near the window opening, driving airflow into the house
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Fire barriers for ventilated wall cavities use thermally activated expansive materials to close off the ventilation space between the wall cladding and the sheathing during a fire while allowing air flow through the metal mesh during normal conditions
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Having both low and high ventilation openings is necessary to promote airflow from the stack effect
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In hot, dry climates, passive cooling should focus on shading, night flush through cross ventilation and whole-house fans, potentially using high-mass construction
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Inducing airflow through the stack effect requires low inlets and high outlets such as a ridge hood or crown monitor
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Jalousie windows use shutters rather than glass over the window openings to allow for maximum ventilation. Screens may be installed to keep out insects.
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Landscape trees and shrubs to funnel cooling breeze towards a home in hot climate zones.
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Locating windows on adjacent and opposite sides of the house will allow cross ventilation regardless of wind direction
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Natural ventilation can be wind-driven (cross ventilation) or buoyancy-driven (stack ventilation)
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Passive cooling techniques can reduce or eliminate the use of air conditioning and can be used for backup cooling during emergencies.
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Provide flashing and sealing integrated with the air and water control layers for vents and other roof penetrations
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Right - Provide passive ventilation in hot climates by installing wind chases and vents.
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Right – A non-combustible 1/8-inch mesh screen is installed on vent openings to reduce the risk of ember intrusion.
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Right – In wildfire prone areas, using a flat soffit with venting on the fascia instead of an angled soffit with down-facing venting reduces the risk of catching rising embers.
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Right – Ripped OSB provides furring strips for a ventilation gap behind the wood siding.
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Right – This aluminum jalousie window provides solar control while allowing view and ventilation.
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Shade trees planted on the east or west sides of a house are one of the most effective measures that can be taken to reduce heat gains
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The operable windows in this house are located at occupant level to provide comfort ventilation.
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The polyethylene ceiling vapor barrier is sealed to form an air barrier around the exhaust fan in this very cold climate location (≥ CZ 6).
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This experimental earth tube is 220 ft long, 8 inches in diameter, and is buried 10 feet deep
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This experimental radiative/evaporative hybrid cooling system uses water to reject heat at night through radiation and evaporation
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This room has several passive and low-energy cooling features including a ceiling fan, fully operable French doors, window shading, an outdoor water feature, and light-colored hard-scaping.
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Whole-house fans or wind-driven cross ventilation can be used to draw air across thermal mass for a night flush strategy
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Wrong - An open eave with no soffit covering can trap rising hot air and embers from a wildfire.
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Wrong - If the soffit is applied directly to the rafter eave, it forms a sloping soffit, which creates a pocket that can trap hot air and embers from a wildfire.
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Wrong – Airborne embers can float into holes in damaged vent screens and ignite flammable items in the house or accumulated debris in the vent.
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Wrong – The open overhang with exposed timbers and unscreened vent holes make this roof more susceptible to ignition.
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Wrong: Single sided ventilation without at least two windows, wing walls, and predictable wind directions is ineffective for generating wind-driven crossflow.