Could the Pottery Water Wall be the answer to energy efficient building within arid, desert environments? A recent passive solar submission came from an architect/designer based in Dubai, UAE. Moustafa Anwar Moustafa is looking to combine the passive attributes of a Trombe or water wall and add convective air elements to increase comfort within...
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Socrates, the Greek father of philosophy known for his dialectical method of questioning, was also an astute observer of the sun’s movements. Over 2,300 years ago, Socrates pontificated: “Now in houses with a south aspect, the sun’s rays penetrate into the porticos in winter, but in the summer the path of the sun is...
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Although it is not known exactly why the Anasazi left the area around 1300 A.D., the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde are an excellent example of passive solar design utilized by those who came long before us. Located in Southwestern Colorado, the Mesa Verde National Park cliff dwellings highlight the southern-facing cliff villages that...
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Passive solar design is smart design that can save both money and finite resources. Passive solar design uses the sun’s energy and movements to help heat a building in the winter and while also uses the sun’s movements to stay cool in the summer. I first became aware of the efficiencies within passive solar...
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Chaco Canyon, located in northwestern New Mexico, is an impressive example of passive solar design. Chaco Canyon illustrates how Pre-Columbian cultures were quite sophisticated in their social-political organization. The remnants of large, wide, and very straight roads can be seen from the tops of the cliffs, while the structures that remain still stand strong...
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