Survey of solar energy utilization principles, methods and case studies.
Objectives 1. To provide an understanding of solar utilization principles, an awareness of case studies, design development resources and advanced analysis techniques. 2. To be able to utilize basic solar analysis and building envelope design development techniques.
Course Structure & Topics This course comprises lectures/discussions by the instructor and invited guests, with interrelated workshops and an optional Saturday field trip and other events. Topics are covered in the following sequence: 1. Course Introduction - video "Energy from the Day Star" (1 week) 2. Overview of solar utilization topics (1 week) 3. Passive solar systems - video "Passive Solar" (1 week) 4. Alternative building techniques. (2 weeks) 5. Workshop: Model Study Building/Solar Interface (1 week) 6. Recent solar projects (1 week) 7. House Energy Doctor Program and lab visit (1 week) 8. Workshop in Progress discussion/crits of semester projects (1 week) 9. Solar photovoltaics and other technologies (1 week) 10.Solar use and energy conservation in institutional/commercial bldgs (1 week) 11. Site and community solar design/planning video - "Creating Communities that Work" (1 week) 12. Sustainable planning - Civano-Tucson Solar Village and other case studies (1 week) 13. Class presentations/discussion of student semester projects . (2 weeks) 14.Saturday field trip - Tucson Solar Projects Tour 15. Community lectures, fairs and/or workshops on solar and resource conservation topics (outside regular class hours; participation optional)
Course Requirements Assignments: Utilizing information obtained in class lectures, workshops, individual meetings with the instructor and reference reading, students are required to develop a model study of solar interface with a building envelope. Using the results of that study, students are then required to do a semester project: analysis and design development of a building's solar utilization. With approval of the instructor, students may do an alternative semester project on a solar utilization topic that they develop. Students taking the course for graduate credit are required to do an additional exercise: an analysis/documentation of the architectural and solar/sustainable design concepts for a project in which solar/sustainable design techniques were featured. Reading: Extensive reference reading lists are provided on solar utilization and sustainability for this course and for future reference. Materials: Model and presentation materials are required for completion of the assignments.
