Book Description

'A must-read for practitioners, teachers and others interested in or working with energy use in the built environment, including a delightful set of examples' Ann Grete Hestnes, former President of the International Solar Energy Society Solar Architecture in Cool Climates is an invaluable primer on low energy building design, combining accessible information with convincing arguments enabling new techniques to be implemented in daily practice. Approaching the topic in a thematic manner, the book provides inspiration, an understanding of key principles and technical data on the design of solar buildings in higher latitudes. The text is enlivened through direct experience of case studies from Europe and North America dealing with new-build, retrofitting and conceptual projects that outline future potential (the principles being equally applicable to equivalent southern latitude locations. The authors examine the dilution of additional costs through different strategies, the tensions between energy efficiency and environmental quality, and the proactive control of energy in building design. Promoting flexibility and opportunity to a diverse audience, including those who use, procure and finance buildings, the book aims to bring the design of 'green' solar buildings in cool climates from special interest status into the mainstream. Broader environmental issues relating to solar architecture are addressed in the final chapter, again drawing on case studies from the authors' own wide experience. Solar Architecture in Cool Climates is written for architects and other building designers, students of architecture and other professionals interested in sustainable architecture, renewable energy and engineering.