RE: [GBlist] Passive Solar/Thermal Mass Comparison

["Halterman, Jon" <Jon_Halterman@compuware.com>]

Title: RE: [GBlist] Passive Solar/Thermal Mass Comparison

Gavin,

 

I am mostly just curious about the technology/science at this point.  I currently live in Michigan near Detroit, but long to move to a warmer climate with shorter winters.  If and when I am able to build in the climate of my choice I have already realized that a passive system is dependant on the climate.  Thanks for your thoughts as I am still sorting out all of my thinking on this.

 

Jon

-----Original Message-----
From: Gavin Bowie [mailto:gbowie@GGA.com]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 3:39 PM
To: 'Ray Zorz'; Greenbuilding (E-mail)
Subject: RE: [GBlist] Passive Solar/Thermal Mass Comparison

Mr Alden is fond of reminding us that this is a climate-specific problem, and he is right, in my estimation. Where exactly is the original querier? If you don't warm up your mass and you live in VT, you're going to have cold feet (or worse) in the winter. If you live in a predominantly heating climate, it is important to insulate one's thermal mass on the outside. If you live in a predominantly hot and humid climate, thermal mass won't help you much. If you live in an arid desert like AZ, uninsulated thermal mass will help regulate your temperature well. Others will, I am sure, comment on how exactly this works.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Zorz [mailto:RZorz@ScottsdaleChamber.com]

I exchanged e-mails with a member of the Oak Ridge staff.  In a nutshell, thermal mass is beneficial in predominantly warm clients, and he also said you'd be better off not heating up the mass to begin with.  In other words, my money would be better spent on less mass and more R-value.  But that's primarily because I live in AZ I think.