Dwellsol
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Design and Consulting
Related Reading:
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| 707.328-3731 |
COOLING
There are three basic methods of passive cooling; removing, absorbing and
blocking heat. These can be used separately or together to maximize the
efficient cooling of a building. These are typically categorized into natural
ventilation, high mass cooling, and evaporative cooling.
There are three basic methods of passive cooling; removing, absorbing and
blocking heat. These can be used separately or together to maximize the
efficient cooling of a building. These are typically categorized into natural
ventilation, high mass cooling, and evaporative cooling.
NATURAL VENTILATION
Natural ventilation collects prevailing winds and utilizes the tendency of hot air to
rise, in order to cool a building. Creating a plan that aligns to capture prevailing
winds and designing the building to take advantage of rising hot air to pull
cooler air into the building is one of the most cost effective ways to reduce
cooling loads in a building. The fundamental components of natural ventilation
are an opening to allow outside air to enter and warmer air to exit a building.
uncommon for electronics heavy uses to require air conditioning even in cold
winter months.
Natural ventilation collects prevailing winds and utilizes the tendency of hot air to
rise, in order to cool a building. Creating a plan that aligns to capture prevailing
winds and designing the building to take advantage of rising hot air to pull
cooler air into the building is one of the most cost effective ways to reduce
cooling loads in a building. The fundamental components of natural ventilation
are an opening to allow outside air to enter and warmer air to exit a building.
uncommon for electronics heavy uses to require air conditioning even in cold
winter months.
COOLING
There are three basic methods of passive cooling; removing, absorbing and
blocking heat. These can be used separately or together to maximize the
ventilation, high mass cooling, and evaporative cooling.
There are three basic methods of passive cooling; removing, absorbing and
blocking heat. These can be used separately or together to maximize the
ventilation, high mass cooling, and evaporative cooling.
HIGH MASS
High mass construction uses the building equivalent of heat sinks in order to
cool a space. Concrete, stone, or other massive and dense construction creates
a potential to absorb heat. Some methods in use include Trombe Wall (usually
used for heating, but equally effective at cooling), water containers, exposed
concrete slabs. The effectiveness of this method can easily be experienced, on
the next hot day, go lay down on a concrete floor that isn't directly in the sunlight,
ahhh, cool! High mass systems can be used in concert with ventilation,
particularly night ventilation, to cool in regions that reach temperatures s high as
110 degrees and are relatively dry, but are not very useful when the relative
humidity exceeds 60%.
High mass construction uses the building equivalent of heat sinks in order to
cool a space. Concrete, stone, or other massive and dense construction creates
a potential to absorb heat. Some methods in use include Trombe Wall (usually
used for heating, but equally effective at cooling), water containers, exposed
concrete slabs. The effectiveness of this method can easily be experienced, on
the next hot day, go lay down on a concrete floor that isn't directly in the sunlight,
ahhh, cool! High mass systems can be used in concert with ventilation,
particularly night ventilation, to cool in regions that reach temperatures s high as
110 degrees and are relatively dry, but are not very useful when the relative
humidity exceeds 60%.
EVAPORATIVE COOLING
Everyone readily recognizes how nice it is to feel a spray of cool water on a hot
day. But did you know that water can actually decrease the sensible temperature
of the air? The principle is to allow water to evaporate at the top of a tower, either
by using evaporative cooling pads or by spraying water. Evaporation cools the
incoming air, causing a downdraft of cool air that will bring down the
temperature inside the building. The effectiveness of this method is restricted to
hot dry climates.
Everyone readily recognizes how nice it is to feel a spray of cool water on a hot
day. But did you know that water can actually decrease the sensible temperature
of the air? The principle is to allow water to evaporate at the top of a tower, either
by using evaporative cooling pads or by spraying water. Evaporation cools the
incoming air, causing a downdraft of cool air that will bring down the
temperature inside the building. The effectiveness of this method is restricted to
hot dry climates.
Learn more on how we select and size passive cooling systems