How much energy does a solar house use?

The energy consumption and indoor air temperature of the building before and after reconstruction were field measured and comparatively analysed. Results indicate that the energy consumed by solar house with the hybrid heating system was 153.3 kWh/day lower than that by the old building.

Can solar house improve indoor thermal environment without environmental pollution?

One of the methods to realise this is the application of solar house since it has significant advantages of improving the indoor thermal environment without environmental pollution , . Meanwhile, the high-altitude makes the sky of Qinghai-Tibetan plateau mostly transparent and with low dust content.

What is the energy saving index of a solar house?

The energy saving index indicates the significant potentials of the solar house with the hybrid heating system to alleviate the domestic energy poverty. In the old building, the average indoor air temperatures of the living room and the bedroom were higher than that of the kitchen about 8.3°C and 7.7°C respectively.

What is the average air temperature in a solar house?

The average air temperature of the living room and two bedrooms in the solar house reached 12.8°C, 11.0°C and 10.2°C, about 8.78°C, 7.61°C and 6.82°C higher than temperatures of the rooms in the old building. Overall, the solar house has considerably improved indoor environments and provided people with better thermal comfort.

Should solar houses be recommended in rural Qinghai-Tibet region?

Therefore, the solar house should be recommended in not only the rural Qinghai-Tibet region but also other rural areas in either China or other developing countries to alleviate domestic energy poverty. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Can solar house reduce energy poverty in rural Qinghai-Tibet?

It is concluded that solar house can be an effective approach to mitigate domestic energy poverty of the rural Qinghai-Tibet region. The findings may also instruct other rural regions in either China or other developing countries to address the issue of energy poverty.