Passive options for solar cooling of buildings in arid areas

The major heat load of buildings and workshops, made of metal structures, is the solar energy supplied through the roof. Several passive modifications have been introduced to the roof in order to reduce the temperature of indoor air in arid areas. An experimental investigation, employing passive modifications, has been carried out to study the reduction in air temperature. The results show that the inside air temperature falls to within 6 and 3 °C, respectively, from the ambient temperature when the ceiling is painted white, or provided with a layer of thermal insulation. Using evaporative cooling or a solar chimney leads to an inside temperature within 1 °C of the ambient temperature.