Topic outline

  • Passive Solar Design for the Home

    Credits: 1 PDH

    PDH Course Description:

    This 1 hour course introduces the student to passive solar design techniques, for residential design. Your home's windows, walls, and floors can be designed to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer. This is called passive solar design or climatic design because, unlike active solar heating systems, it doesn't involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices, such as pumps, fans or electrical controls to move the solar heat.

    Topics:

    • Heat Movement Physics
    • Basic Passive Solar Design Techniques
    • Direct Gain: Aperatures, Absorbers, Thermal Mass, Distribution, and Architectural Features
    • Indirect Gains: Trombe Walls
    • Isolated Gain: Sunspace
    • Design options
    • Costs Associated with Passive Design

    To take this course:

    1.) Enroll in Course:
    Click below to enroll:
    (must be logged into your user account)


    2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:

    Download the Study Guide

    3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.

    Take the final exam

    4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.

    Important – Payment is required prior to printing of your certificate of completion.

    We operate on a trust-based model. You are welcome to complete Steps 1 through 3 to fully review the course material at your leisure. 

    When you are ready to download and print your Certificate of Completion, we ask that payment has been completed for either the Unlimited Plan or individual PDH credit(s). Clicking the download button below serves as your digital confirmation that payment has been made.

    For a quick overview of our site's policies, please click here: (FAQs)

    Print the Certificate of Completion

    Intended Audience: electrical, mechanical, civil, energy, chemical, environmental, construction,and industrial engineers. However, this course could appeal to engineers of other disciplines as well.
    Publication Source: US Dept. of Energy

    Donald Parnell, PE

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