Energy-Active Shadow Structures in Single-Family Buildings – Application Possibilities and Architectural Conditions

Abstract Existing approaches to indoor environmental quality in single-family residential buildings have been described, identifying their optimal preferred parameters for maintaining a human-healthy environment. The energy requirements for maintaining basic building systems (lighting, cooking, heating, ventilation, cooling) have been analyzed. Passive and active sources of energy production have been analyzed, prosumer buildings have been considered, and methods of obtaining maximum energy in winter periods and avoiding overheating of the building in summer periods have been discussed. Process schemes of using active shadow structures as an integral element with other systems acquiring energy from RES in single-family residential buildings have been presented. Architectural aspects of the use of energy-active shadow structures in residential buildings (single – family houses) have been presented together with alternative solutions. This paper presents process diagrams of the use of energy-active shadow integrated with other renewable energy sources used in single-family buildings, such as: BIPV, PVT and heat pumps, benefiting indoor environmental quality. Architectural considerations for the use of energy-active shadow structures in single-family homes have been presented along with alternative solutions. The purpose of this paper is to present a concept (especially effective in the summer) for an additional way to harvest electricity from energy-active shadows in single-family houses.