Passive and Active Exploitation of Renewable Energy

Abstract

The active and passive uses of renewable energy sources for buildings are highlighted in this chapter. To meet the energy needs of buildings, the chapter focuses on using solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and hydrogen energies. Using these energies directly without relying on outside assistance is the goal of passive approaches. On the other hand, active methods call for an additional device to capture and transform the available energy into another form for the comfort of building occupants. Because they are readily available in an open environment and do not require significant equipment to harness them, solar and wind energy sources are recognized to play a crucial role in green buildings and maintain tenants’ comfort at minimal expense. The cost of using solar energy for thermal heating is almost zero, but photovoltaic (silicon and perovskite-based) panels are needed to produce electricity. The use of biomass, geothermal, and hydrogen energy has its challenges. A ground-breaking innovation might be producing hydrogen energy from biomass using a gasifier. Free geothermal energy is only accessible in a few places, including the United States, Indonesia, and the Philippines. © 2025 selection and editorial matter, Shailendra Kumar Shukla; individual chapters, the contributors.