Non-mechanical cooling may be easily achieved through the application of passive
strategies modeled on the basic laws of physics. The problems surrounding the cooling
and warming of the interior living spaces have been studied and resolved many times
and ways throughout the ages of human civilization. For example, the Egyptians, Romans
and Greeks developed natural ways to cool and heat their spaces using solar orientation
to their advantage through: material heat collection and radiation, thermal shielding,
and passive solar space arrangement. At UDC, we have embraced the approach pioneered
by the ancients and integrated it into our contemporary building designs. Using typical
manual J calculations for BTU/H and inertial ground temperatures, seasonal changes
and the passive strategies developed by the ancients can cool and warm the building
without the use of an electricity consuming mechanical system. In Texas, our approach
has proven reduction of monthly electrical expenditures by an average of 63%.
