List of low-energy building techniques
Encyclopedia
Low-energy buildings, which include zero-energy buildings, passive house
s and green building
s use any of a large number of techniques to lower energy use
.
The following lists some of the techniques used to achieve low-energy buildings, which excludes energy generation
(microgeneration).
Passive house
The term passive house refers to the rigorous, voluntary, Passivhaus standard for energy efficiency in a building, reducing its ecological footprint. It results in ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or cooling. A similar standard, MINERGIE-P, is used in...
s and green building
Green building
Green building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition...
s use any of a large number of techniques to lower energy use
Energy conservation
Energy conservation refers to efforts made to reduce energy consumption. Energy conservation can be achieved through increased efficient energy use, in conjunction with decreased energy consumption and/or reduced consumption from conventional energy sources...
.
The following lists some of the techniques used to achieve low-energy buildings, which excludes energy generation
Microgeneration
Microgeneration is the small-scale generation of heat and power by individuals, small businesses and communities to meet their own needs, as alternatives or supplements to traditional centralized grid-connected power...
(microgeneration).
Improvements to building envelope
- Active daylightingActive DaylightingActive daylighting is a system of collecting sunlight using a mechanical device to increase the efficiency of light collection for a given lighting purpose...
- Barra systemBarra systemThe Barra system is a passive solar building technology developed by Horazio Barra in Italy. It uses a collector wall to capture solar radiation in the form of heat. It also uses the thermosiphon effect to distribute the warmed air through channels incorporated into the reinforced concrete floors,...
- Brise soleilBrise soleilBrise soleil, sometimes brise-soleil , from French, "sun breaker"), in architecture refers to a variety of permanent sun-shading techniques, ranging from the simple patterned concrete walls popularized by Le Corbusier to the elaborate wing-like mechanism devised by Santiago Calatrava for the...
- Cool roofCool roofCool roofs are the roofs that can deliver high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance...
and Green roofGreen roofA green roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems... - DaylightingDaylightingDaylighting is the practice of placing windows or other openings and reflective surfaces so that during the day natural light provides effective internal lighting. Particular attention is given to daylighting while designing a building when the aim is to maximize visual comfort or to reduce energy...
- Double envelope houseDouble envelope house-History:Lee Porter Butler's 1975 Double Envelope design received wide publicity after the U.S. solar energy tax credits were created in 1978. Versions were on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens and Popular Science magazines....
- Earth shelteringEarth shelteringEarth sheltering is the architectural practice of using earth against building walls for external thermal mass, to reduce heat loss, and to easily maintain a steady indoor air temperature...
- Energy plus house
- Fluorescent lightingFluorescent lampA fluorescent lamp or fluorescent tube is a gas-discharge lamp that uses electricity to excite mercury vapor. The excited mercury atoms produce short-wave ultraviolet light that then causes a phosphor to fluoresce, producing visible light. A fluorescent lamp converts electrical power into useful...
, Compact fluorescent lampCompact fluorescent lampA compact fluorescent lamp , also called compact fluorescent light, energy-saving light, and compact fluorescent tube, is a fluorescent lamp designed to replace an incandescent lamp; some types fit into light fixtures formerly used for incandescent lamps...
, and LED lighting - History of passive solar building designHistory of passive solar building design-Pre-modern History:The techniques of passive solar building design were practiced for thousands of years, by necessity, before the advent of mechanical heating and cooling. It has remained a traditional part of vernacular architecture in many countries...
- Low energy building
- Low-energy houseLow-energy houseA low-energy house is any type of house that from design, technologies and building products uses less energy, from any source, than a traditional or average contemporary house...
- List of low-energy building techniques
- Passive daylightingPassive DaylightingPassive daylighting is a system of both: collecting sunlight using static, non-moving, and non-tracking systems such as Windows, Sliding glass doors, most skylights, light tubes, and reflecting the collected daylight deeper inside with elements such as light shelves...
- Passive housePassive houseThe term passive house refers to the rigorous, voluntary, Passivhaus standard for energy efficiency in a building, reducing its ecological footprint. It results in ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or cooling. A similar standard, MINERGIE-P, is used in...
- Passive solar building designPassive solar building designIn passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer...
- Passive solar
- Solar energy
- SuperinsulationSuperinsulationSuperinsulation is an approach to building design, construction, and retrofitting that dramatically reduces heat loss by using much higher levels of insulation and airtightness than normal...
- SustainabilitySustainabilitySustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
- Sustainable architectureSustainable architectureSustainable architecture is a general term that describes environmentally conscious design techniques in the field of architecture. Sustainable architecture is framed by the larger discussion of sustainability and the pressing economic and political issues of our world...
- Trombe wallTrombe wallA Trombe wall is a sun-facing wall separated from the outdoors by glass and an air space, which absorbs solar energy and releases it selectively towards the interior at night. The essential idea was first explored by Edward S. Morse and patented by him in 1881...
- WindcatcherWindcatcherA windcatcher is a traditional Persian architectural device used for many centuries to create natural ventilation in buildings. It is not known who first invented the windcatcher, but it still can be seen in many countries today. Windcatchers come in various designs: uni-directional,...
- Zero energy buildingZero energy buildingA zero-energy building, also known as a zero net energy building, Net-Zero Energy Building , or Net Zero Building, is a popular term to describe a building with zero net energy consumption and zero carbon emissions annually. Zero energy buildings can be independent from the energy grid supply...
- Zero energy design
Improvements to heating, cooling, ventilation and water heating
- Absorption refrigeratorAbsorption refrigeratorAn absorption refrigerator is a refrigerator that uses a heat source to provide the energy needed to drive the cooling system...
- Annualized geothermal solar
- Earth cooling tubesEarth cooling tubesA ground-coupled heat exchanger is an underground heat exchanger loop that can capture or dissipate heat to or from the ground. They use the Earth's near constant subterranean temperature to warm or cool air or other fluids for residential, agricultural or industrial uses...
- Geothermal heat pump
- Heat recovery ventilationHeat recovery ventilationHeat recovery ventilation, also known as HRV, mechanical ventilation heat recovery, or MVHR, is an energy recovery ventilation system using equipment known as a heat recovery ventilator, heat exchanger, air exchanger, or air-to-air heat exchanger which employs a counter-flow heat exchanger between...
- Hot water heat recyclingHot water heat recyclingWater heat recycling is the use of a heat exchanger to recover energy and reuse heat from drain water from various activities such as dish-washing, clothes washing and especially showers...
- Passive coolingPassive coolingPassive cooling refers to technologies or design features used to cool buildings without power consumption, such as those technologies discussed in the Passive house project.-Passive cooling:...
- Renewable heatRenewable heatRenewable heat is an application of renewable energy and it refers to the renewable generation of heat, rather than electrical power ....
- Seasonal thermal storage
- Solar air conditioningSolar air conditioningSolar air conditioning refers to any air conditioning system that uses solar power.This can be done through passive solar, solar thermal energy conversion and photovoltaic conversion . The U.S...
- Solar hot waterSolar hot waterSolar water heating or solar hot water systems comprise several innovations and many mature renewable energy technologies that have been well established for many years...
Energy Rating systems
- House Energy RatingHouse Energy RatingA House Energy Rating is an index of a building's thermal performance for residential homes in Australia....
(Aust.) - Home energy ratingHome energy ratingA Home Energy Rating is a measurement of a home’s energy efficiency, used primarily in the United States. Home energy ratings can be used for either existing homes or new homes. A home energy rating of an existing home allows a homeowner to receive a report listing options for upgrading a home’s...
(USA) - EnerGuideEnerGuideEnerGuide is the official Government of Canada mark associated with the labelling and rating of the energy consumption or energy efficiency of specific products...
(Canada) - National Home Energy RatingNational Home Energy RatingThe National Home Energy Rating Scheme is both a UK accreditation scheme for energy assessors and a rating scale for the energy efficiency of housing.The NHER is owned and operated by National Energy Services...
(UK) - LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental DesignLeadership in Energy and Environmental DesignLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....