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dc.contributor.advisorHarvey J. Bryan.en_US
dc.contributor.authorLotz, Steven Een_US
dc.contributor.otherMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2013-01-07T21:08:53Z
dc.date.available2013-01-07T21:08:53Z
dc.date.copyright1985en_US
dc.date.issued1985en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/75957
dc.descriptionThesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1985.en_US
dc.descriptionMICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH.en_US
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_US
dc.description.abstractThis thesis is a journal which describes the thoughts and decisions leading up to the final design of a comprehensive software environment for passive solar design. The main purpose of this writing is to convey why a comprehensive software environment for this particular field is needed in order to help teach the principles of passive solar design, so that they can be adequately taken into consideration in the architectural design process, and how such a system could be implemented. A case study involving the use of previously available passive solar design tools is used to point out areas where these tools are deficient in their ability to focus a designer's attention on pertinent building performance simulation data, which could be more effectively used to influence design decisions at the various stages of the design process. This leads to a discussion of how these shortcomings could be overcome through a new and different software design strategy which utilizes a systems approach to build a more flexible and powerful passive solar design tool. Through further experiments, practical considerations and real-world constraints are brought to light, and how they affected the conceptual development of such a system which I undertook to develop here at MIT for Project Athena. Next, certain implementation details are given which seek to bridge the gap between conceptual goals and practical software design considerations. How the internal organization of software code affects the external interactions between the user and the system, and how it can promote the qualities needed for software survival in an educational setting is addressed . Finally, the outcome of an experimental prototype for this s y stem is discussed, as well as my concluding thoughts regarding what I have learned through this endeavor about writing architectural design tool software.en_US
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityby Steven E. Lotz.en_US
dc.format.extentiv, 160, xix leavesen_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherMassachusetts Institute of Technologyen_US
dc.rightsM.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.en_US
dc.rights.urihttp://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582en_US
dc.subjectArchitecture.en_US
dc.titleDeveloping a comprehensive software environment for passive solar designen_US
dc.title.alternativePassive solar design, A comprehensive software environmenten_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.description.degreeM.S.en_US
dc.contributor.departmentMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Architecture
dc.identifier.oclc13172710en_US


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