Buildings
Passive Design
Designing buildings to heat, cool, light and ventilate themselves using climate and site conditions, minimising mechanical energy use.
Definition
Passive design is an approach to building design that uses the local climate and site — orientation, solar gain, shading, thermal mass, natural ventilation and daylight — to maintain comfortable conditions with minimal mechanical heating, cooling and lighting. It reduces a building's energy demand before any efficient technology or renewable supply is added.
References
principles and strategies
role of demand reduction in buildings decarbonisation
Overview
What it means
Passive strategies are ancient (courtyards, windcatchers, thick masonry) and modern (simulation-optimised glazing and shading). Because demand reduction is largely locked in at design stage, passive design determines a building's energy performance for decades at little or no extra cost.
How it is used
The concept underpins green building codes, nearly zero-energy building requirements, and standards such as Passivhaus; architects apply it through climate analysis and energy modelling from concept stage.
Why it matters
"Reduce demand first" is the cheapest decarbonisation strategy for buildings; passive design is how that principle becomes concrete, cutting emissions and improving resilience to heat and power outages simultaneously.
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