Do sunspaces work in Scotland? Lessons learnt from a CEC solar energy demonstration project in Glasgow

Building performance and end-user interaction in passive solar and low energy housing developments in Scotland

“…As demonstrated in a previous study, the amount and frequency of window opening to buffer spaces is largely dictated by specific occupancy and social characteristics in addition to seasonal influences (Porteous and Ho, 1997). If the home is unoccupied during the day and ventilation of the sunspace is limited, particularly if occupants are reluctant to leave windows open whist the house is unoccupied, there is potential for heat to build up in this space.…”

“…The sunspaces were a key part of the original prototype and were retained in both CS-A and CS-B. The use of sunspaces in Glasgow have long been established as a useful contribution to energy reductions (Porteous 1997;Shearer and Porteous, 2012), principally as a means to preheat fresh air. They are constructed of a double-glazed metal insulated frame system, with a double-glazed door and single side-opening window at upper level.…”

Sensing a Historic Low-CO2 Future

“…Herein lies the dilemma for aligning energy efficiency with air quality, potentially risking conditions with high moisture levels. It also helps to explain why research exploring the potential for passive solar techniques to preheat supply air occurred in 1980s and 1990s (Ho, 1995;Porteous & Ho, 1997;Saluja et al, 1987), and why mechanical heat recovery is now in the ascendancy (Porteous, 2010). Such work was additionally motivated by dampness from condensation in housing emerging as a major social concern in the 1980s.…”