Key Terms
The following key terms were used in this lesson:
Passive Design
The technique of placing, orienting, and massing a building to optimize the use of the sun and climate to provide natural lighting, heating, and ventilation.Optimum Building Orientation
The orientation (rotation relative to north) that maximizes the desired effect:
- In Ecotect Analysis, the orientation that best balances the heat captured from solar radiation during colder months of the year with the additional cooling loads created during hotter months.
- In Green Building Studio, the orientation that provides the lowest total annual energy cost (considering the cost of fuel for heating and electricity for cooling).
Building Massing
The overall shape of a building, considering the length, width, and height. These factors determine the amount of space enclosed by the building and the surface area of the building envelope.