Energy efficient building

Abstract

A solar engine, which is vertically aligned along an interior portion of a building, is heated by solar radiation. The solar engine includes a warm air chamber at an upper portion of the solar engine and a hollow core positioned below the warm air chamber. Habitable spaces are positioned around the outside of the core toward an exterior of the building. Solar radiation on the warm air chamber creates a high temperature zone in the warm air chamber that induces a stack effect in which air rises through the core due to the lower temperatures in the core, and results in a negative pressure in the core. Air enters at a lower portion of the building and is pulled through the core by the solar engine. If the windows on the outside of the habitable spaces are opened, the negative pressure in the core causes passive cross ventilation from the outside of the building through the habitable spaces and into the core, where the air rises to the warm air chamber and then out of the building. This allows the habitable spaces to be naturally cooled and ventilated with no energy costs. Solar radiation may be directed into the warm air chamber and core using a reflector at the top of the building. One or more wind turbines and generators positioned around the top of the core convert the moving air from the core into electrical energy to power the building.

1 . A building ventilation system comprising:
 a warm air chamber located in an upper portion of a building, the warm air chamber having a warm air chamber inlet at a bottom portion of the warm air chamber and a warm air chamber outlet at a top portion of the warm air chamber, at least a portion of the top of the warm air chamber comprising a transparent material, air in the warm air chamber being heated by solar radiation radiating on the air via the transparent material; and   a hollow core extending vertically down from the warm air chamber inlet along an interior portion of the building, at least a portion of a side wall of the core being defined by an interior wall of a habitable space, the core having a first core opening coupled to an outside air duct that extends to an outer portion of the building and having a second core opening coupled to the habitable space via the interior wall of the habitable space, the air in the core being a lower temperature than the air in the warm air chamber and therefore the air in the core rising toward and through the warm air chamber inlet creating a negative pressure in the core relative to a pressure outside the building and effecting a suction of outside air from outside the building through the outside air duct and into the core, the air from the core that rises into the warm air chamber mixing with the air in the warm air chamber and at least a portion of the mixed air exiting the warm air chamber through the warm air chamber outlet.   
     
     
         2 . A building ventilation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the negative pressure in the core relative to the pressure outside the building effects a suction of outside air from outside the building through the habitable chamber and into the core via the second core opening. 
     
     
         3 . A building ventilation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the air in the core enters the habitable chamber via the second core opening to provide one of ventilation and heated air to the habitable chamber. 
     
     
         4 . A building ventilation system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a reflector located at the top of the building, the reflector reflecting solar radiation into the warm air chamber, the solar radiation reflected into the warm air chamber by the reflector increasing the temperature of the air in the warm air chamber.   
     
     
         5 . A building ventilation system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the reflector reflects solar radiation into the core, the solar radiation reflected into the core by the reflector increasing the temperature of the air in the core. 
     
     
         6 . A building ventilation system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the warm air chamber comprises a warm air chamber reflector that reflects solar radiation onto the reflector. 
     
     
         7 . A building ventilation system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one wind turbine located at the warm air chamber inlet, the wind turbine having an axle that is horizontally aligned along the warm air chamber inlet and having at least one blade that rotates with the axle when air from the core contacts the blade on its way into the warm air chamber; and   a generator that is mechanically coupled to the axle, the generator converting mechanical energy from the rotating axle into electrical energy that powers the building.   
     
     
         8 . A building ventilation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the side wall of the core comprises a reflective surface that reflects solar radiation down into the core. 
     
     
         9 . A method for ventilating a building, the method comprising the steps of:
 heating air in a warm air chamber, which is located in an upper portion of a building, using solar radiation that radiates through a transparent top of the warm air chamber, the warm air chamber having a warm air chamber inlet at a bottom portion of the warm air chamber and a warm air chamber outlet at a top portion of the warm air chamber, a hollow core extending vertically down from the warm air chamber inlet along an interior portion of the building, at least a portion of a side wall of the core being defined by an interior wall of a habitable space, the core having a first core opening and a second core opening that is coupled to the habitable space via the interior wall of the habitable space; and   providing an outside air duct having a first end that extends to an outer portion of the building and a second end that is coupled to the first core opening, the air in the core being a lower temperature than the air in the warm air chamber and therefore the air in the core rising toward and through the warm air chamber inlet creating a negative pressure in the core relative to a pressure outside the building and effecting a suction of outside air from outside the building through the outside air duct and into the core.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the negative pressure in the core relative to the pressure outside the building effects a suction of outside air from outside the building through the habitable chamber and into the core via the second core opening. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of the air in the core enters the habitable chamber via the second core opening to provide one of ventilation and heated air to the habitable chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a reflector located at the top of the building reflects solar radiation into the warm air chamber, the solar radiation reflected into the warm air chamber by the reflector increasing the temperature of the air in the warm air chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the reflector reflects solar radiation into the core, the solar radiation reflected into the core by the reflector increasing the temperature of the air in the core. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the warm air chamber comprises a warm air chamber reflector that reflects solar radiation onto the reflector. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 generating electricity by:
 providing at least one wind turbine located at the warm air chamber inlet, the wind turbine having an axle that is horizontally aligned along the warm air chamber inlet and having at least one blade that rotates with the axle when air from the core contacts the blade on its way into the warm air chamber; and 
 providing a generator that is mechanically coupled to the axle, the generator converting mechanical energy from the rotating axle into electrical energy that powers the building. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the side wall of the core comprises a reflective surface that reflects solar radiation down into the core.