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Passive solar design can be an effective means of reducing conditioning loads in residential buildings by utilizing free solar heat during the heating season, and blocking unwanted solar heat during the cooling season. The objective of this thesis was to use energy modeling software to simulate the effect that incorporating passive solar design strategies into typical New England style houses would have on their energy usage for heating and cooling. The designs that were studied were Capes, Colonials, and Saltboxes. Four versions of increasing energy efficiency were studied for each style. After measuring baseline energy usage for each model, four passive solar variables were incorporated: orientation, allocation of windows to southern façade, shading devices, and thermal mass. After determining the ideal orientation of each building, 300 combinations of window allocation, shading device depth, and amount of thermal mass were simulated for each model. From this pool of simulations, the model with the lowest conditioning costs was selected and compared to its respective baseline design. As a general trend for each style, as the level of energy efficiency decreased, the savings from incorporating passive solar design increased. For the colonial models, the savings ranged from $422-$150. For the Saltbox models, the annual savings ranged from$398-$116. For the Cape models, the savings ranged from $303-$75.

Buildings in the United States account for nearly 68% of all U.S. energy consumption due to their reliance on electrical lighting and mechanical systems. Beginning in the 20th century, emphasis on developing the glass curtain wall created increased energy demands on lighting and mechanical systems. Consequently, the building’s curtain wall is a direct cause of significant energy loads. This research project investigated how current parametric design tools and energy analysis software are used during a performance-driven passive solar design process to develop facade systems that lower the energy use intensity (EUI) of a building and increase natural daylight to an acceptable illuminance level (lux). Passive solar shading strategies were employed to realize the proposed design process through a proof of concept project that retrofits the facade of an outdated office building in a hot-mediterranean climate. Incremental steps were taken using parametric software (Revit Architecture 2015) to increase the passive solar and daylighting performance capabilities of the facade system and Autodesk Green Building Studio was employed to measure, compare and contrast the results of each design.

The impact on the built environment due to the forecasted climate change was presented by the authorities more than one decade ago, but the actions from the building industry to adapt buildings for a changed climate are still lacking. The purpose of this study is to identify a suitable cooling technique for a modern residential building in a future warmer climate in order to maintain thermal comfort but also energy efficiency. This thesis analyses and presents passive techniques and the behavior of active cooling with a slab cooling system under a future climate scenario so as to accomplish a sustainable system which will be functionable and viable in the future. To verify the different solutions the building performance simulation software IDA ICE has been used and a case study building with a simulated location in the city of Stockholm has been investigated. Results show promising outcomes as thermal comfort is achieved and energy efficiency is maintained depending on diversely selected energy sources. / Påverkan på den byggda miljön från klimatförändringar har upplysts av myndigheter under minst de senaste tio åren, men agerande från byggbranschen för att klimatanpassa är fortfarande låg. Syftet med denna studie är att identifiera en lämplig kylteknik för ett bostadshus i ett framtida varmare klimat för att bibehålla termisk komfort och samtidigt energieffektivitet. Denna examensrapport analyserar och presenterar prestanda hos dels olika passiva system, dels ett kombinerat värme- och kylsystem i bjälklag i ett framtida klimatscenario för att uppnå ett hållbart system som kommer att vara funktionellt och livskraftigt i framtiden. För att verifiera de olika kyllösningarna har simuleringsprogrammet för byggnadsprestanda IDA ICE använts och en fallstudiebyggnad med en simulerad placering i Stockholm har undersökts. Resultaten visar lovande resultat eftersom termisk komfort uppnås och energiprestanda kan bibehållas beroende på valda energikällor.

Architecture, as a discipline, has the potential to serve as a catalyst for cultivating an awareness of our intrinsic connection to the Earth and the broader universe. However, in the contemporary world, architectural practices frequently tend to alienate us from the natural environment, compelling many of us to inhabit indoor spaces reliant on centralized utility systems. This reliance, in turn, exerts significant stress on the Earth's ecosystems. The essence of architecture should instead lie in its capacity to engage with the surrounding natural elements, including the sun, wind, earth, and rain, thereby prompting individuals to acknowledge their geographical and planetary context. By harnessing these natural forces at the local level, architectural structures could autonomously provide their occupants with essential resources such as energy, water, and sustenance throughout the year. This thesis embarks on an exploration of the feasibility of integrating these principles of passive design into architectural structures, with the overarching goal of imparting experiential learning opportunities to the broader public. Through this endeavor, architecture can transcend its conventional role and emerge as a conduit for disseminating knowledge and awareness about sustainable living practices. Ultimately, this reimagined role for architecture can play a pivotal part in catalyzing the ongoing human evolution towards enhanced health and resilience, both as individuals and as a species. / Master of Architecture / Architecture should make us aware of how we are connected to the earth and by its extension, the universe. In today's world, it often closes us off from nature instead. Many of us are plugged in to an indoor culture that relies on centralized utility infrastructure to sustain, which often puts great strain on the natural environment. By interacting with surrounding natural phenomenon such as the sun, wind, earth, and rain, our buildings should remind us of our geographical and planetary context. By gathering these natural forces local, a building could supply its inhabitants with energy, water, and facilitate food production year round. This thesis aims to explore how a building could demonstrate these principles of passive design to the general public by using architecture as a vessel for experiential learning. This is the role Architecture can play in the process of human evolution towards becoming a healthier and more resilient species.