Design of Active and Passive Solar Elements for Sustainable Contemporary Architecture: Scientific Overview

This paper describes the design and development of technological innovative modules to be applied
in architecture cladding. They combine passive solar features like solar protection, solar thermal
energy storage, ventilated and Trombe wall effects with active solar thermal collectors and
photovoltaic systems. The proposed solar protection features can also include a biological element,
proving support for vertical gardens and shelter for small birds. This novel modular system comprises
several multifunctional technical parts. A prototype of the thermodynamic module was constructed
with cork, ceramic, glass and copper materials.
All modules and prototype were designed based on the Mediterranean most influential architecture
geometric patterns. Five different experimental hexagonal-based (typical Islamic geometry) geometric
parts with different functions were considered. Being the thermal performance one of the most
important characteristic of the parts proposed, a prototype was built and experimentally tested. The
results (temperatures of the heated water) evidence excellent performance taking into account the
concept design and materials selected. In fact, relatively to the thermodynamic functional part, no loss
of thermal efficiency was observed because it was similar to the same of conventional commercial
thermodynamic systems.