The solar energy produced by the sun moved to solar radiation in the earth.

The solar
radiation is divided into diffuse and direct. The diffuse radiation is solar radiation
reaching the earth's surface after having reflector in the atmosphere. The direct
radiation is solar radiation which arrives at once (without having first reflector in the
atmosphere) in the earth. The solar energy has a unit of Watt / m2 . I should mention
that when the distance spent the solar radiation in the atmosphere is big, then the
amount to be incident on the surface of the earth will be smaller. Even the more
vertically incident on a surface solar radiation, the greater is the intensity. ( J.K.
Kaldellis,2001)

The solar radiation which is incident on the earth, incidents on the premises which
consist of building materials.
A percentage of solar irradiation reflected and absorbed by bodies that are around or
added to the pervasive influence of the environment. The rest of the incident solar
radiation absorbed by the surface on which incident transformed into heat and
absorbed after the mass of structural material (E. Makarona,2009) .

Solar energy, contributes positively to the thermal requirements of a building when

the weather is cold. Rather, when the weather is warm contributed negatively to the
thermal balance of the building, adding other thermal loads. (J.R. Goulding et
al.,1994)

Methods of heat transfer on buildings:

If two systems are not heat balance, for example, one is warmer than another, then
transfer energy from warmer to colder, until a situation balance. This process is called
heat transfer and is divided into three modes of transmission:
With conduction or conductivity is the heat transfer due to interactions between
molecules of the body, which are in contact and have different temperature .The
transfer of heat by conduction is the only way in which can be transmitted heat in a
solid and in particular those of a molecular density.
With convection, which is the exchange of energy takes place between a solid
boundary surface contact and a fluid.
With radiation, which is the phenomenon whereby heat flows from a body that has a
higher temperature in a body with lower temperature, when the bodies are not even
contact and between them are still empty.( A. Tzachanis ,2006)

3
In earlier times, the old buildings in Greece were imperative to contain insulation,
since the heavy construction of the shell and the configuration was a key factor in the
flow of heat insulating capacity.
One of the main parameters of the modern building is now mandatory insulation.
With insulation in building construction prevented the heat loss is the escape of heat
from a warm place to another - coldest winter neighboring area primarily mines. Also
to prevent insulation from entering the external heat load caused by solar radiation
during summer months in the buildings. This achieves the thermal comfort for
building users throughout the year and reduces energy consumption of the users of
buildings used by central heating and air conditioning more hours a day to achieve the
thermal comfort. The energy consumption for the operation of these systems was not
a problem, until the energy crisis and fuel ceased to be economic. This has as a result
the creation of new insulating building materials that are now used routinely.
(Aluminium magazine,2009)

References

4
• J.K. Kaldellis, Laboratory of Soft Energy Applications, Εργαστηριακές
Εφαρμογές Ήπιων Μορφών Ενέργειας, publications Stamoulis, 2001,p 170-172
• J.R. Goulding , L.J. Owen, T.C. Steemers, Energy conscious design: A primer for
architects , Ενεργειακός σχεδιασμός:Εισαγωγή για αρχιτέκτονες, publications
Μalliaris Education,1994
• E. Makarona ,Study of passive and low energy cooling techniques of buildings in
Chania of Crete, Μελέτη τεχνικών παθητικής ή χαμηλής ενεργειακής
κατανάλωσης για την ψύξη κτιρίων στον Ελλαδικό χώρο, Dissertation,
Technological Educational Institute Crete, 2009.
• A. Tzachanis: Notes on Theory and Laboratory of Heat Transfer, Σημειώσεις
Θεωρίας και Εργαστηρίου Μετάδοσης Θερμότητας, Technological Educational
Institute of Larissa, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2006
• Aluminium-magazine, technical issue on matters of aluminum, January-February
2009 ,Issue 34,[accessed]20/05/2009,in http://issuu.com/aluminium-
magazine/docs/february_2009