Solar energy model and thermal performance of an electrochromic dome-covered house

A dome-covered house can be considered as a sustainable building design example. It mimicks the optimal forms in the nature, and can help achieve reduction on the house heating energy need in cold winter. When the dome is made of electrochromic glazing, it can prevent large amount of solar energy from passing into the interior of the dome to prevent over-heating in summer. In this paper, a three-dimensional solar energy, thermal and air flow model is presented. The impact of different glazing types on the thermal environment inside the dome in summer and house heating load in winter is investigated. The use of electrochromic/low transmissivity glazing can result in the reduction of the absorption of solar radiation by the ground for up to 88.9%, as compared to the normal glazing and help to reduce the highest air temperature inside the dome from 41.8 °C to as low as 25.6 °C at 1:00 PM on July 21st in Montreal at 45°N latitude, southern part of Canada, and from 34.6 °C to 20.6 °C in Yellowknife at 62.5°N latitude, northern part of Canada, under different control strategies, thus can create a comfortable thermal environment inside the dome.