5 Architectural Solutions To Reduce Your Heating Bill

Heating is one of the top expenses for homes in temperate climates. Most houses are equipped with HVAC systems, but when it comes to their maintenance costs and their ties to rising oil and gas prices, residents usually feel they have no choice but to live with it. However, passive design techniques to naturally maintain interior temperatures can reduce the need for costly HVAC systems. If you are building or renovating your home, consider these five architectural solutions to reduce your heating bill:

1. Exploit Thermal Mass

One of the most effective passive design methods to keep your house warm is to use high thermal mass construction materials such as stone, brick, concrete and other masonry, which absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night into the insulated interior. Walls built from high thermal mass materials would cost more than conventional alternatives, but the energy savings could return the initial investment.

2. Reduce Window to Wall Ratio

The most straightforward solution to prevent heat loss: get rid of the extra glass. Large windows are desirable but they are expensive and quickly lose heat. Instead of floor-to-ceiling glass, frame key views with smaller windows set in solid walls. Smaller windows reduce interior daylighting levels but it’s more cost-effective for installing high performance glazing. Environmental modeling programs such as ClimateStudio by Solemma LLC can help you determine appropriate window sizing, positioning and glazing type to reach passive climate control and interior daylighting standards within your budget.

3. Optimize Solar Orientation

The orientation of your house on the site will determine how much sunlight different parts of the interior will receive. Sunlight is important for naturally heating interior spaces, but increasing window sizes also lets warm air escape at night, so there needs to be a considered balance. A building can maximize direct sunlight intake by orienting its longer sides to the North and South, which also reduces the harsh glare from East and West facing windows. For renovation projects, adding larger windows to the Equator-facing facades can make better use of natural sunlight.

4. Reduce Surface Area

Compact floor plans retain more heat by minimizing the surface area exposed to the cold exterior. Dome-shaped houses typically have higher energy performances as a result of their thermally-efficient spherical shape. Many houses in North America are oversized compared to their site, and they often make poor use of the house footprint, resulting in awkward underutilized spaces that take longer to heat. A smaller and more efficient design with careful interior planning could provide the same level of comfort as a larger house while reducing heating bills.

5. Use A Trombe Wall

This passive heating installation improves solar heat gain by placing a glass surface 2–5 cm in front of a dark masonry wall facing direct sunlight. The glass surface prevents the heat from the masonry from escaping outside, rising back inside through vents which can be closed in warmer seasons. Like most other passive climate control methods, trombe walls are low tech and low maintenance, which means more money can be saved in the long run.

Conclusion

These techniques are part of a wide range of passive climate control methods that should be carefully chosen based on environmental conditions, functional requirements, and budget constraints rather than rules of thumb. Factors such as the geographic setting, the

U-value of the glazing and the quality of the insulation ultimately determine which passive design techniques should be employed. Ensuring proper sunlighting, air circulation and consistent interior temperatures through passive architectural climate control techniques can create a home that feels comfortable while also saving money and contributing overall to a cleaner environment.