Hua, I-Fan2022-01-032025-11-282025-11-282021https://repository.berlin-international.de/handle/123456789/651As a result of human activities in recent years, along with the non-stop advancement and subsequent expansion of our society. Humanity has had a significant impact on the environment that we rely upon. That is not to say that technological advancement has only led to negative consequences, yet climate change is one of the undeniable outcomes. (He and Silliman 2019) And it is an ongoing process which every individual will have to deal with, especially in the fields of interior architecture. When constructing a building one usually starts with reviewing the project site, for instance the surrounding sceneries, native vegetation, neighboring buildings, lighting conditions just to name a few. These are all important yet freely available resources that come with the site. If utilized correctly they could have a substantial impact not only on the building itself but most importantly for the residents occupying the structure. Nowadays with better building materials and numerous mechanical systems to heat up or cooldown the structure. We tend to disregard the importance of the natural environment, and incline to think that one can overcome most of it with technology. However, I would argue that instead of actively fighting against the given circumstance, we ought to take advantage of the environment. With the help of natural energy sources, it is possible to achieve a desirable interior climate without exhausting large amounts of energy. The result not only benefits the environment, but most importantly saves cost, which is usually the biggest constraint in a project1 Introduction 3 1.1 Problem Statement 3 1.2 Definition of Thesis Topic 3 1.3 Methodology 4 2 Historical Origins of Passive Design 4 3 Indoor Comfort for Occupants 6 3.1 Thermal Comfort 7 3.1.1 Air Temperature 7 3.1.2 Radiant Temperature 7 3.1.3 Relative Humidity 7 3.1.4 Air Velocity 9 3.2 Interior Air Quality 10 3.3 Visual Comfort 11 3.3.1 View to exterior space 11 3.3.2 Quality of light 11 3.3.3 Quantity of light 11 3.3.4 Effects of glare 12 4 Fundamental Elements of Passive Solar Design 12 4.1 Orientation 13 4.2 Zoning 17 4.3 Thermal Mass 17 4.4 Insulation 18 4.5 Shading 20 4.6 Ventilation 21 5 Case Studies 23 5.1 Latapie House 23 5.2 House N 26 5.3 Weill Cornell Medical College-Belfer Research Building 29 7 Conclusion 29 8 Design Project 29 9 References 30 10 List of Figures 32 11 List of Tables 33engSolar air conditioningSolar heatingEnvironment, sustainabilityThesis