Overview
A good starting point for any green building design is to look at the passive features of the design:
- The building placement and orientation on the site
- The massing and shape of the building
- The architectural features of the building, such as the placement of windows and shading features
These passive design features are inherent to the architectural design, materials choices, and configuration of the building. Decisions made when these features are designed determine the requirements for the active systems—including heating and cooling, power, and water—that will be added to the building to meet the needs of its occupants.
A guiding principle is that passive features should be designed to maximize the positive benefits of the local climate and sunlight—for example, capturing sunlight as a heating and daylighting source—and minimize the potentially negative effects, such as adding to the loads on the cooling system.
Some of the factors that should be considered as part of the passive design include:
- Placement of the building on the site. What parts of the site are most desirable and why? What parts of the site should not be built upon?
- Orientation of the building relative to the sun. The location of windows relative to the sun’s path can have significant impacts on the heating and cooling loads throughout the year.
- The location of adjacent and surrounding buildings. Will other buildings cast shadows over certain parts of the site, rendering certain areas more or less desirable?
- Access to buildings on the site. Consider where roads and entrances will be located and the impact on the users of the building.
- Terrain and topography. Is the site evenly graded, or are some areas steeper with an uneven ground surface? Are there trees, vegetation, or natural design features on the site that should be preserved?
- Views. Are there any particular views that occupants of the building will want to enjoy?