Question

Which sustainable design principle focuses on optimizing a building's orientation to the sun?

• A. Passive solar design
• B. Excessive energy consumption
• C. Traditional building orientation
• D. Minimal consideration for sunlight

Hint:

\textbf{Passive Solar Design} utilizes building orientation, site, and materials to control solar heat gain and natural light.
Key strategies include:
Orienting the building to maximize winter solar gain (e.g., south-facing windows in the northern hemisphere) and minimize summer overheating (e.g., shading, limited west-facing windows).
Using windows effectively for daylighting and solar heating.
Incorporating thermal mass to store and release solar heat.
Designing shading elements (overhangs, louvers).
This approach reduces reliance on active heating, cooling, and lighting systems, saving energy.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Sustainable design aims to minimize negative environmental impacts and maximize occupant well-being through efficient use of resources and energy. Optimizing a building's orientation to the sun is a key strategy in this. Let's analyze the options:
(a) Passive solar design: This design strategy focuses on using the building's site, orientation, and architectural features (e.g., windows, overhangs, thermal mass) to harness solar energy for heating and lighting, and to minimize unwanted solar heat gain, thereby reducing the need for active mechanical systems (like heating, cooling, and artificial lighting). Optimizing the building's orientation to the sun (e.g., maximizing south-facing glazing in cold climates for winter heat gain, minimizing west-facing glazing to reduce summer afternoon heat gain) is a fundamental aspect of passive solar design.
(b) Excessive energy consumption: This is the opposite of a sustainable design principle.
(c) Traditional building orientation: Traditional building practices often did incorporate climate-responsive orientation, but "traditional building orientation" itself isn't a specific sustainable design principle like "passive solar design." Some traditional orientations might be sustainable, others not, depending on climate and context. Passive solar design is a more precise term for the deliberate optimization for solar benefits.
(d) Minimal consideration for sunlight: This would lead to poor energy performance and occupant comfort, contrary to sustainable design. The sustainable design principle that specifically focuses on optimizing a building's orientation to the sun to achieve benefits like natural heating, cooling, and daylighting is Passive solar design. \[ \boxed{\text{Passive solar design}} \]