Masonry Magazine February 2011 Page. 26
BRICK
Hot and Humid environments are complex, requiring greater consideration of all design strategies.
Passive solar energy systems, thermal mass
PASSIVE SOLAR ENERGY systems do not require mechanical equipment to create temperate interior living conditions. Instead, the systems use the exterior surface of a building façade to regulate the temperature indoors.
Masonry buildings absorb the heat of the sun into the mass of its walls during the day. This helps to stabilize the interior temperature, whether it is hot or cold outside. At night, the stored heat radiates to the interior and exterior of the building, once again helping to maintain a stable thermal environment within. While clay bricks are a feasible option in many locations, hot and humid environments are more complex, requiring greater consideration of all design strategies.
This reduction in the reliance on mechanical heating and cooling systems saves energy throughout the life of the
Project: Johnsonville Public Library
GC: FB Construction (Florence, SC)
Limestone: Indiana Cut Stone
Johnsonville Public Library
Photo courtesy of National Building Museum
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READER SERVICE #173
24 MASONRY
February 2011 www.masoncontractors.org
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