The effect of using solar chimney on reduced heating load in cold climate of US

In a plethora of countries, buildings are adapted to the local climate condition using sustainable architecture techniques and materials, thereby the highest level of climatic comfort is provided. For example, the walls and roofs reflecting sunlight have been used for centuries in the warm regions of the world, while in the cold regions, the maximum use of solar energy has been tended. The process of modernization has created a high density, thereby demand for fast and affordable constructions in cities has subsequently increased, resulting in reduced attention to environmentally sustainable architecture techniques that, in turn, has led to the financial loss and scarcity of nonrenewable energy resources over long periods of time. Regarding the energy crisis and the necessity of saving non-renewable energy, the reduced need to use heating/cooling systems is assumed to be one of the key goals in advanced building design. The present study was conducted based on causal research and simulation. Design Builder thermal simulation software was used as the tool to this end. Therefore, a building with/out solar chimney was modeled and analyzed to identify the effect of solar chimney on the amount of energy used for heating. The interior temperature of the building equipped with solar chimney and without mechanical heating systems was measured to be 22 °C. Given the ambient humidity of 40-60 percent (according to the field measurements), the measured temperature is within the comfort range. In comfort condition, regarding the ambient humidity of 40-60 percent, the comfort temperature is between 70-80 °F (22-26°C)