A Passive Solar Retrofit in a Gloomy Climate
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Rochester Institute of Technology RIT Scholar Works Theses 5-11-2018 A Passive Solar Retrofit in a Gloomy Climate James Russell Fugate [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.rit.edu/theses Recommended Citation Fugate, James Russell, "A Passive Solar Retrofit in a Gloomy Climate" (2018). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by RIT Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of RIT Scholar Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Passive Solar Retrofit in a Gloomy Climate By James Russell Fugate A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE Department of Architecture Golisano Institute for Sustainability Rochester Institute of Technology May 11, 2018 Rochester, New York Committee Approval A Passive Solar Retrofit in a Gloomy Climate A Master of Architecture Thesis Presented by: James Russell Fugate Jules Chiavaroli, AIA Date Professor Department of Architecture Thesis Chair Dennis A. Andrejko, FAIA Date Associate Professor Head, Department of Architecture Thesis Advisor Nana-Yaw Andoh Date Assistant Professor Department of Architecture Thesis Advisor ii Acknowledgments I would like to thank the faculty and staff of the Master of Architecture program at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Being part of the original cohort of students in the program’s initial year was an honor and it has been exciting to see the program grow into the accredited and internationally respected program of today. I want to thank Dennis Andrejko for taking the chance and accepting me into the program as an older, part-time student. I also thank faculty Nana-Yaw Andoh and the many adjunct instructors, including Jim Yarrington, Alissa Paul, Mary Scipioni, Peter Gabak, Ann Howard, and others, who provided a tremendous education and a deep appreciation for the architecture profession. I also thank the faculty at the Golisano Institute of Sustainability (GIS), including Callie Babbitt and Gabrielle Gaustad, for providing me with a true appreciation of the issues regarding sustainability. I especially want to thank Jules Chiavaroli for all of his support from encouraging me to join the program in 2011, to being my advisor, my instructor, my thesis chair, my mentor, and frankly a person whom I admire greatly, going back to our days at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). I look forward to continuing to work with Jules as colleagues between NTID and GIS. My chairperson, Dr. Dino Laury, is someone whom I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude. I would not have been able to complete the program without Dino’s unwavering support and encouragement. In addition, I am grateful for the support of the NTID administration, including Dr. Gerald Buckley and Dr. Stephen Aldersley. Finally, the person for whom I am most grateful is Dawn, my wife and friend. The time commitment to complete the M-Arch degree has been very challenging. Through many tears, we persevered through the difficult times and our love for each other never wavered. iii Abstract A common perception with solar technologies is that they are practical only in sunny regions of the country. The sun is a source of clean and plentiful energy, but for regions of the country that experience frequent cloud cover, solar energy is typically not considered a worthwhile endeavor. In addition to the problem of limited sunshine, solar energy is often deemed to be too expensive for the average homeowner, particularly without significant government incentives. For solar technology to be adopted on a broad scale, it must make practical sense to the homeowner, not just economically, but also for an improved quality of life. Otherwise, solar technology in home construction will be limited to those who are especially motivated and can afford it. Passive solar, in particular, is often dismissed as a relic of the 1970’s. The excessive amounts of glass can lead to too much heat loss or heat gain, and the home may experience wide temperature swings, making it uncomfortable. While the complaints do have merit, they are often a result of a poor design rather than an inherit failure of passive solar systems. This thesis project attempts to demonstrate that passive solar technology can be effective in any region, even the gloomy climate of Western New York, and that it can be incorporated into an existing home cost-effectively. The project analyzed an existing single-family home and a rehabilitation proposal was developed that met the needs of the clients and incorporated passive solar technologies. A number of passive solar features were reviewed, and it was learned that the benefits of a passive solar feature often go beyond its mere cost-effectiveness. Intangibles, such as daylighting, a sense of place, plant growth, and improved market-value, contribute to the assessment of a passive solar feature. iv Table of Contents Committee Approval ................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments...................................................................................... iii Abstract .................................................................................................... iiiv Table of Contents .........................................................................................v Introduction ..................................................................................................1 Thesis Objective ......................................................................................3 Project Description ..................................................................................4 Sustainable Architecture ..........................................................................7 Residential Energy Consumption ............................................................8 Passive Solar Overview .............................................................................11 History of Passive Solar .........................................................................11 Benefits and Challenges of Passive Solar ..............................................18 Resiliency ...............................................................................................21 Elements of Passive Solar ......................................................................23 Passive Solar Strategies .............................................................................25 Building Orientation and Layout ...........................................................25 The Building Envelope ..........................................................................26 Thermal Conductance ........................................................................27 Thermal Bridging ...............................................................................28 Air Infiltration ....................................................................................29 Indoor Air Quality ..............................................................................30 Direct-Gain Systems ..............................................................................32 Solar Collectors ..................................................................................32 Thermal Mass .....................................................................................36 Shading Devices .................................................................................40 Indirect-Gain Systems ............................................................................43 Thermal Walls ....................................................................................44 Isolated-Gain Systems ...........................................................................46 Sunspaces ...........................................................................................47 Thermosiphon Features ......................................................................50 Ventilation and Passive Cooling ............................................................50 Solar Savings Fraction ...........................................................................52 Climate Analysis ........................................................................................53 Climate Charts .......................................................................................57 Psychrometric Analysis .........................................................................60 Solar Exposure .......................................................................................61 Prevailing Winds ....................................................................................64 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................66 Site Analysis ..........................................................................................66 Plans and Elevations ..............................................................................67 Energy Assessment ................................................................................75 v Blower Door Test ...............................................................................75 Insulation ............................................................................................76 Energy Consumption .........................................................................77 Daylighting ........................................................................................78