Trombe wall

A Trombe wall can passively heat a structure.

A Trombe wall is a wall built on the sun exposed side of a structure for heat using passive solar. A wall made from a dark-colored material with a large amount of thermal mass is built and covered with glass that is suspended to leave a gap of air between the two. Sunlight passes through the glass and is absorbed by the wall which eventually is released as heat that is trapped by the glass. The concept was first explored by Edward S. Morse and further refined by Félix Trombe and Jacques Michel.

Variations

• An external vent at the top can be placed and opened during summer to release unwanted heat gain and to create a breeze, similar to a solar chimney.
• Windows can be placed in Trombe wall for natural light inside the structure. This lowers the efficiency of the design.