ABSTRACT
Having reduced the heating load through the use of a high-performance thermal envelope, and possibly through consideration of building shape and orientation, the next step is to provide as much of the reduced heating load through passive solar means as possible. The balance should be satisfied as efficiently as possible, either with external energy sources or through active solar energy with or without seasonal storage. Passive solar heating and mechanical systems other than heat pumps are discussed in this chapter. Heat pumps, which can be used for both heating and cooling, are discussed separately in Chapter 5. Systems for distributing heat (and coldness) are discussed in Chapter 7 (Sections 7.3 and 7.4). Active solar heating systems and district heating systems are discussed in Chapters 11 (Section 11.4) and 15 (Sections 15.3–15.5), respectively.
