Passive Solar Buildings (Solar Heat Technologies) [Hardcover]

J. Douglas Balcomb (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0262023415 | ISBN-13: 978-0262023412 | Publication Date: August 21, 1992

This companion to Passive Cooling and Solar Building Architecture (volumes 8 and 9) describes developments in passive solar technology that will save time, energy, and resources in planning for the buildings of the future. It is filled with tips and useful research for architects and designers and includes three substantial chapters on general modeling.

"Passive solar heating works. Properly designed and constructed, it is cost-effective, practical, comfortable, and aesthetic." Balcomb's introductory remarks set the tone for the rest of the contributions, which describe the considerable record of achievements in passive solar heating. Balcomb summarizes and evaluates the era between 1976 and 1983 when most of the major developments took place and highlights the design features that have contributed to effective buildings.

Three chapters cover modeling passive systems (applicable to both heating and cooling), and six chapters focus on the application of passive solar heating, with emphasis on components, analytical results for specific systems, test modules, subsystem integration into buildings, performance monitoring and results, and design tools.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The solar energy community has successfully documented the numerous technical advances the field has made in an ambitious 12-volume series.... The volumes read neither like textbooks nor handbooks, instead they mark important advances and findings; together they allow for a clear assessment of the state of solar technology. Each volume can be used as a component of the series or stand-alone resource."
— Harvey Bryan, Progressive Architecture

About the Author

J. Douglas Balcomb is a Principal Engineer with the Solar Energy Research Institute.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (August 21, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262023415
• ISBN-13: 978-0262023412
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,155,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Too bad this book is forgotten, October 20, 2011

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Stephen C. Baer "Steve Baer" (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Passive Solar Buildings (Solar Heat Technologies) (Paperback)

Doug Balcomb is the editor of these 10 chapters. Not all of the chapters add much yet with Doug Balcomb, Fuller Moore, Phil Niles and Timothy Johnson the book is good. Unfortunately it is more about LASL and NREL's contribution to passive solar than the larger part played by others. It is an answer to the wistful query "what would happen if top scientists were directed to work on passive solar instead of nuclear bombs?"
Not Much! Evidently we need to direct ourselves.
The investigations are clothed in equations and computer generated graphs yet despite this their useful work has been disregarded by a nation now bent on generating solar electricity. What Balcomb did has been as easily disregarded by others as he disregarded us rag tag small fry who proceeded and then accompanied his work. Why else has ASHRAE let Balcomb's contribution go out of print?
Balcomb, his LASL then NREL boys and the rest of us worked to do without electricity, to have buildings not need power for heating, cooling and light. Somehow, though this is exactly what we need it is not what congress finances and is ignored to concentrate on generating electricity.
The government scientists who backed passive solar seem helpless. A fate like trees grown in planters to be placed by others. A corrupt congress plays the role of decorator, shifting their potted ones as they please.
This reader can only guess what might be without an NREL or DOE. Some of the men might have their roots in the land, the economy, instead of government agency pots.
As always with DOE spokesmen, such authors dismiss those of us who risk our livelihoods and point out how to pass on risks to others. They boldly recommend such cowardice as the answer for society.