2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Architecture and Building Engineering Graduate major in Architecture and Building Engineering
Passive Solar Design
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Architecture and Building Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Ryo Murata
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Intensive
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- ARC.D441
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Passive solar design is a methodology for architectural design, based on knowledge from environmental engineering, that takes into account the physical properties of buildings. This course deals with the use of natural energies such as light, heat, and wind and the concrete configuration methods of architecture, through historical and modern works.
Students work to acquire systematic knowledge through lectures, create design plans, analyze assigned problems, and give presentations and participate in discussions. Furthermore, to facilitate the education of diverse talent and cooperative learning, English will be used as the primary language, and Japanese as the secondary language.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Learn aspects of the theory and practices of passive solar design
2) Learn to take into account the correlations between architectural objects such as floors, walls, roofs, and windows with environmental effects such as the regulation of light, heat and wind that use these objects
3) Apply gained knowledge and come up with specific ideas through proposing solutions for problems
4) Enhance presentation skills and international sensibility by performing presentations and participating in discussions in English.
Keywords
Passive solar design, Environmental architecture, Sustainability, Architectural design, Architectural planning
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The first half of the class is devoted to a lecture, the second half is devoted to students' research works and presentations.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction | Understand the origin of passive design |
| Class 2 | Passive solar design and geographical factors | Understand the geographical factors on passive solar design |
| Class 3 | Passive solar design and historical factors | Understand the historical factors on passive solar design |
| Class 4 | Passive solar design and physical factors | Understand the physical factors on passive solar design |
| Class 5 | Basic theory for passive solar design | Understand the basic theory of passive solar design |
| Class 6 | Design of light | Understand specific methods on design of light |
| Class 7 | Design of air flow | Understand specific methods on design of light |
| Class 8 | Design of heat | Understand specific methods on design of heat |
| Class 9 | Passive design andTypology | Understand the relationship between passive solar design and architectural typology |
| Class 10 | Passive design and Life cycle assessment | Understand the relationship between passive solar design and LCA |
| Class 11 | Presentation and discussion in terms of Anatomy of Passive Design: Element 1 | Research and presentation about Anatomy of Passive Design |
| Class 12 | Presentation and discussion in terms of Anatomy of Passive Design: Element 2 | Research and presentation about Anatomy of Passive Design |
| Class 13 | Presentation and discussion in terms of Anatomy of Passive Design: Element 3 | Research and presentation about Anatomy of Passive Design |
| Class 14 | Presentation and discussion in terms of Anatomy of Passive Design: Integration | Research and presentation about Anatomy of Passive Design |
Study advice (preparation and review)
Textbook(s)
N.A.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Dictionary of methods of passive solar design (SHOKOKUSYA)
The design method of the LCCM demonstration house (KENCHIKU GIJUTSU)
Methodology of House Design incorporating Time (SHOKOKUSHA)
Evaluation methods and criteria
Presentation and report.
Related courses
- ARC.D421 ： Architectural Design Studio I
- ARC.D422 ： Architectural Design Studio II
Prerequisites
None required.