ABSTRACT
Two primary uses of solar energy are providing heating and lighting for buildings. The building must be designed for the collection of solar energy, transfer of that energy, storage, and the release of the solar energy. The electromagnetic radiation is absorbed and becomes thermal energy (heat); therefore, we need to understand how heat is transferred. Heat is just internal kinetic energy of a material and is the random motion of atoms. Two important aspects for buildings using solar energy are reduction in the transfer of heat and sizing of sufficient thermal mass so there will not be large temperature variations from day to night or even over 3 to 5 days with no solar input to the building due to clouds. The reduction of heat transfer means that a solar-heated building must first be a well-insulated building, a heat trap.
