Solar radiation and architectural design in Barcelona

Abstract

The principles of the passive solar house were defined in the 1970s. Since that time, strategies have been conceptualized and tested with different examples built in the USA and in Europe. Models directly related to the Mediterranean climate are rare in this context. They will be the subject of the present study. In these cases, the main issue is to reconcile solar gain in winter and solar shading protection in summer. In addition, summer heat can be lost through natural ventilation. The research will focus on aspects of architectural design to implement alternatives for optimizing control of radiation. The Heliodon 2TM computer software will be used to establish evaluation methods for certifying the energy efficiency of the solutions under study.