An Overview of the Effects of Passive Solar Strategies on Thermal Comfort

The paper presents the impact of passive solar strategies on residential buildings concerning the thermal comfort factor. This study focuses on passive solar design elements like orientation, shading, and thermal mass to offer improved energy efficiency and occupant comfort. With a global natural gas crisis looming, interest in alternative heating and cooling is surging. With the growing concern of reducing the energy use by buildings while maintaining proper thermal comfort, both in cold and hot climates, the interest shifts to passive solar strategies. In this view, 547 publications have been analysed to reveal knowledge gaps and trends in the research. The bibliographic and thematic analysis techniques identified some approaches to passive solar design but no dominant method. Further, the study found under-researched areas within themes that appeared established. The authors have finally concluded with calls for further research and collaboration across institutions and nations to address these gaps and develop effective passive solar strategies. These findings contribute to sustainable architecture by pointing out the pros of applying passive solar strategies to reduce heating and cooling loads. In this respect, this was an original approach since it brought both quantitative and qualitative data together to measure thermal comfort. This is further underpinned by raising the need for energy-efficient building designs as measures toward mitigating climate change impacts.