1 post tagged “home design”
Thermal mass is a concept that applies to how a form or substance absorbs, retains, and releases heat. The principle of thermal mass has very useful and practical applications in regard to homes and buildings in general. When used wisely in ways that compliment a family's needs and the climate in which they live, the benefits of thermal mass are very impressive.
Thermal mass is a form of passive solar which applies simply to the
manner in which certain designs and materials absorb and release heat
or coolness. Once the materials and design are in place, it just works
naturally with no mechanical parts or fuels. And these elements vary
depending on the climate and amount of sunshine an area receives. These links provide a more overall, in depth discussion of thermal mass
and how it is incorporated into building construction for maximum
energy efficiency.
http://www.greenspec.co.uk/html/lowcarbon/lowcarbonthermalmass.html
http://www.eere.energy.gov/de/passive_solar_design.html
These links describe basic concepts involved in a passive solar house or home construction.
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/construction/solardesign/thermal.html
http://oikos.com/library/energy_outlet/passive_solar.html
A few of the most common thermal mass materials used today include cinder block, concrete, brick, stone, earth or burms (referred to as "soddies" in the pioneer days), adobe or adobe brick, and logs. Here is a photo of a home design in Colorado using passive solar architecture and thermal mass materials.
http://www.strawbalehomes.com/solar1.html
http://www.strawbalehomes.com/stockplans.html
http://www.thenaturalhome.com/passivesolar.html
This article pertains specifically to log homes
http://www.sharploghomes.com/mass.htm
Water is also an excellent thermal mass but is not used in construction obviously. However, creative uses of an indoor pool, if incorporated into the energy design of the house, can have some incredible benefits (more on that later!). Some are also using 'water columns' as room dividers, window covers, and in garden rooms. The advantages of using water for additional thermal mass is that it diffuses light without blocking it out completely and humidifies the air. Water is also the winning heavy weight champion of all thermal mass materials coming in at 10x greater than even the densest stone and concrete.
http://www.thenaturalhome.com/passivestuff.html
I was first introduced to the idea of thermal mass when I rented an 'earth home' with one of the girls I worked with in Vail. It was built into the side of a mountain called Belly Ache Ridge at about 9000 ft. altitude. The details in this house were very forward thinking and definitely high-tech--even for today and this was in 1989. It was done in a southwest contemporary style and was finished at a cost over a million dollars (way over my budget). But by living in this house, I began to see ways they used passive solar and thermal mass--although I had no idea what those concepts were or even that they existed. All I knew at the time was that it was a very cool (or warm) house!
