Passive Cooling System, Actives Colling System, Passive Colling System is Economical, Using passive cooling strategies to improve thermal performance and reduce energy consumption of residential buildings. Passive design responds to local climate and site conditions in order to maximize the comfort and health of building users while minimizing energy use. The key to designing a passive building is to take best advantage of the local climate. Passive cooling refers to any technologies or design features adopted to reduce the temperature of buildings without the need for power consumption.

Consequently, the aim of this study is to test the usefulness of applying selected passive cooling strategies to improve thermal performance and to reduce energy consumption of residential buildings in hot arid climate settings, namely Dubai, United Arab Emirates. One case building was selected and eight passive cooling strategies were applied. Energy simulation software – namely IES – was used to assess the performance of the building. Solar shading performance was also assessed using Sun Cast Analysis, as a part of the IES software. Energy reduction was achieved due to both the harnessing of natural ventilation and the minimizing of heat gain in line with applying good shading devices alongside the use of double glazing. Additionally, green roofing proved its potential by acting as an effective roof insulation. The study revealed several significant findings including that the total annual energy consumption of a residential building in Dubai may be reduced by up to 23.6% when a building uses passive cooling strategies.

Passive cooling uses free, renewable sources of energy such as the sun and wind to provide cooling, ventilation and lighting needs for a household. This additionally removes the need to use mechanical cooling. Applying passive cooling means reducing differences between outdoor and indoor temperatures, improving indoor air quality and making the building both a better and more comfortable environment to live or work in. It can also reduce levels of energy use and environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions. Interest in passive design for either heating or cooling has grown recently – particularly in the last decade – as a part of a movement towards sustainable architecture. Well-designed envelopes maximize cooling movement of air and exclude the sun in the summer season. There are many types of passive cooling strategies that can be recommended for use in a hot arid climate such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design strategies that minimize the need for mechanical cooling systems include proper window placement and daylight design, the selection of suitable glazing for windows or skylights, proper sized shading of glass when heat gains are being avoided, the use of light or reflective-colored materials for the building envelope and roof, careful siting and wise orientation decisions alongside appropriate landscaping design. Validation processes were attempted to calibrate the results including monitoring the temperature indoors and outdoors on different days of the year. Two simulation programs were also used for validation purposes – namely Design Builder and the IES. Against actual measuring on site, they recorded the highest temperatures in °C. The experimental process began in January 2011 and continued until December 2012 with averages being taken once each month during that period. Figure 1 shows that the difference between the three recorded temperatures came to less than 4.5%. Calibration took into account that air-conditioning was used during the summer, autumn and spring (with a set point of 22 °C), but was switched off during the winter – comprising November, December and January. Passive Cooling System, Actives Colling System, Passive Colling System is Economical, Building Colling, Passive Colling, Active Colling, passive cooling strategies, Solar shading ,roof insulation, renewable sources of energy ,renewable sources, indoor temperatures, outdoor and indoor temperatures, Design Builder