[Greenbuilding] Passive solar in hot, humid climate

[Laren Corie]

 Design for hot/humid climates is highly dependent on shading, insulation
particularly in the roof, and excellent ventilation.  The traditional 
indigenous
stategies work even better now, with some modern technical advantages,
than they did in the past.  The house should be built up off the ground, to
allow breezes to blow under.  This also solves some of the bug issues.
Porches surround the structure.  Ceilings are high.  The roof is very well
vented, perhaps with clerestory windows. Generally, the structure should
be low thermal mass, however, high placed mass can be use to power
nighttime passive ventilation.  It should be noted also, that, not all 
hot/humid
climates are the same.  Some will get wider daily temperature swings, so
can utilize more wall and interior thermal mass.  Most of the traditional
buildings in New Orleans, were built with a fair amount of  thermal mass,
more than would be expeected, but they still perform quite well, using it
to their advantage.  As for Solar heating, it is very easy to seasonally
close in a section of the covered porch, with single glazed storm windows
to convert it into a sunspace, for the short heating season.

    If you would like to see a successful passive Louisiana house, and
communicate with its owner, my moderator, Tony, on my "LittleHouses"
Yahoogroup lives in such a house.  They are totally off-grid, about sixty
miles NW of New Orleans, and are very glad to never have air conditioning.
You can talk (email) to Tony, and see pictures of his house, 
on -LittleHouses-

               http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LittleHouses

-Laren Corie-
Natural Solar Building Design Since 1975

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