Inquiry on the Possibilities of a Reverse Greenhouse Effect Through a Reverse Solar Wall for Indoor Overheating Avoidance

This paper investigates the potential of a reverse greenhouse effect for reducing indoor temperature in spaces exposed to passive solar gains. The aim is implemented by installing a Trombe wall - a glazed massive wall transmitting heat by conduction and convection - on the indoor side of a sun-exposed façade, so that heat gained in the glazed cavity is transferred from the interior to the exterior, rather than into the room as in conventional Trombe walls. This configuration lowers indoor air temperature under conditions of passive solar gains on the wall, making it possible to achieve higher daylight levels with reduced risk of overheating. The fact that ventilation is essential or not depends on the availability of a sufficient thermal mass in the wall. The concept has been validated through monitoring of prototype models and calibrated simulations and applied in a real case study exemplifying the possibility of the system.