Solar Heating

Hypothesis: That buildings can be practically designed to make use of sunshine and eliminate the

need for conventional heating.

System Components: This model will consider Energy. Neglect (water and mass)

This Transient Model of the system will need to include the following components:

● Size, shape and aspect of the building

● Solar gain through sun-facing windows *

● “Thermal mass” of internal feature(s)

● Radiative absorption of internal features (as a function of material type)

● Temperature gain of internal features (as a function of size / mass and material type)

● Transfer of heat from internal features to air inside building (as a function of size of

building)

● Replacement of air with ambient air from outside (i.e. ventilation)

The Task:

1. Formulate the model as a system diagram showing transfers of energy.

2. Derive an equation (or set of equations) that describe the balanced system.

3. Identify an independent variable (or variables) and use your equations to test the

practicality of the claimed outcome

4. Determine key parameters / draw some conclusions for effective system design.