One of the most simple and efficient means of utilizing passive solar energy is the implementation of a Trombe Wall. These walls are designed to harness the energy of the sun to passively reduce heating costs in the home.
Trombe walls are sun-facing walls contructed from from either stone, concrete, adobe, or an array of water tanks. These materials can each function as a thermal mass, and when combined with insulated glazing on the outside, and vents running along the perimeter of the mass, these walls effectively become a solar thermal collector. Herein lies the value of the Trombe Wall as a means of passive solar energy.
The wall was originally thought up by Edward Morse in the late nineteenth century, but was met with a lukewarm reception until the mid-twentieth century, when a famous engineer by the name of Felix Trombe collaborated with a the architect Jacques Michel to design and popularize the idea of a wall functioning as a solar thermal collector. The design became known as a Trombe wall, and sported a number of new features. Some implementations involved pipes and water tanks to help the trombe wall function as a Solar Hot Water System.
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