Experimental Research for Passive Solar Design and Energy Efficiency in Practical Net Zero Energy Buildings

The theory of passive solar design suggests that between 20 and 70 per cent of all household energy needs can be satisfied by simply designing the house in a naturally sound way, keeping the laws of the sun in mind. This experiment tested the validity of the above claim by retrofitting a regular apartment in suburban Mumbai. The results showed a considerable fall in energy consumption with a few minor tweaks in an existing residential house's design. The conclusion is that Passive solar energy design, coupled with active solar and wind or solar/wind hybrid generators, could play a pivotal role in achieving the goal of a Net Zero Energy Building.