Passive Flow Systems

Designing for Thermal Mass

The ultimate optimization is eliminating the need for active mechanical intervention entirely. Passive cooling treats the building envelope itself as the thermal regulation device. By engineering specific materials and structural orientations, a space can self-regulate.

High thermal mass materials (such as exposed concrete floors, rammed earth walls, or dense stone) act as thermal batteries. During the peak solar irradiation phase (daytime), these materials absorb latent heat from the interior air, preventing the ambient temperature from spiking.

The Night Purge Protocol

Thermal mass is only half of the equation; the absorbed heat must be dumped. The Night Purge Protocol leverages diurnal temperature shifts. As the external temperature drops after sunset, automated lower intake vents and upper clerestory windows open.

Through the Stack Effect (warm air naturally rising), the structural heat is drawn out of the building's thermal mass and vented through the roof, while cool night air is pulled in to "recharge" the cold state of the masonry for the next day. This cycle requires 0.0 kW of mechanical cooling energy.

Strategic Shading & Albedo

Stopping thermal energy before it enters the envelope is critical. Exterior shading structures—unlike internal blinds, which only trap heat *after* it passes the glass—block solar radiation before penetration. Furthermore, high-albedo (reflective) roof coatings reject up to 85% of solar heat gain, drastically lowering the ceiling surface temperature.