Thermal Mass

Glazing

• Allows solar radiation to enter the interior of the home

• Blocks heat from escaping the building

Thermal Mass

• Allows the storage of thermal energy

• Could be from day to night

• Some systems store from summer to winter

• Materials with high heat capacity are best

Mass to Glazing Ratio

• It is important to balance the solar gain from windows with the

  storage of that thermal energy

• Insufficient storage can cause temperatures that are too high during

  the day

• The mass to glazing ratio provides a design guideline

Passive Airflow

• Uses buoyancy of warm air to create currents of air

• Often used for cooling

Internal loads

• Occupants and machines often create significant amounts of heat

• This heat can be used for conditioning a space