Every passive solar building includes five distinct design elements:
A Collector - a large glass area that allows sunlight in. It can be a set of large, south-facing windows or a separate room like a greenhouse.
An Absorber - a dark surface that absorbs solar heat. This can be as simple as a tiled floor or thick, dark wall.
A Thermal Mass - material that stores the absorbed heat and slowly releases it at night. This can be masonry materials, such as concrete, stone, and brick, or a water tank. Often it is part of a room’s floor or walls.
A Distribution Method - heat’s natural tendency is to move from warmer materials to cooler ones until there is no longer a temperature difference. In some buildings, passive distribution is augmented with fans and ducts.
A Control Mechanism - this regulates the amount of sunlight entering the building. It might just be a roof overhang that allows more sunlight in during the winter and less in the summer. Passive solar is a wonderful way to use the sun’s energy to heat a room. It can also be used in the shoulder seasons to retain heat in a greenhouse or a sunroom.
