REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HEATING DEGREE-DAYS AND POTENTIAL OF PASSIVE HEATING FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN CHINA

Abstract

To clarify the feasibility of passive heating for residences in China, the heating degree-days were computed using the observational database. A model for the monthly solar radiation was improved by adding the parameter of outdoor temperature difference between the highest and the lowest. The potential of passive heating for residences was defined as the ratio of accumulative solar radiation during the heating season to heating degree-days. The regional characteristics of potential of passive heating for residences in China were clarified by making a map with contour lines of the ratio of radiation to degree-days.