Study of the Function of Southern Greenhouse in the Reduction of Heat Loss in an Apartment in Shaahrud City

In addition to conserving non-renewable resources, saving fossil fuels will result in reducing environmental pollution. Preventing the loss of heat when heating is required as well as using renewable energies are some solutions for saving energy. South greenhouse (sunspace) is one of the systems for creating passive heating. This study was conducted to investigate south greenhouses in residential apartments and this model, which was constructed in Shahrud (a city with cold climate) was selected as the case study. To measure temperature control buffer zone (the greenhouse), field method and data loggers (digital thermometer) were employed. After measuring the temperature of the space (sunspace and living room) during specified hours and comparing the temperature of the weather outside the building (data derived from Meteorology Department), heat dissipation of the living room was calculated using experimental method. Results show that greenhouse on the south side of the building reduces heat loss in the adjacent space (living room) for about 33 percent and prevents the direct heat exchange between this space and the exterior of the building.