Hi

This is the my very first post here. So I apologize if this has been asked before. After much research I cannot seem to find the information I need.

I am building a 24x36 post frame barn style home. Two thirds of that home will have a vaulted ceiling. One end will be lofted with two upstairs bedrooms and a balcony. I have been back and forth over different methods of doing the foundation. Post frame, Dry Stack, Slip forming. etc etc. Due to $money$ it makes more sense to me to just put up the pole building, since I can get it shelled in cheaper and faster than any other method. But I want mass walls because this is a passive solar project. I am not looking to put an unlimited amount of money into this to reach some big standard. But I want to do the best I can with what I have.

The trombe wall method interests me. Even moreso is the solar chimney effect. I plan to put in an insulated concrete floor. Then in the middle 12ft section of the south wall, erect a dry stacked/filled wall to implement as a trombe wall. With bottom and top vents. The rest of the south wall will also be dry stacked/filled. But will see thick foam insulation on the outside. Furthermore. The entire south wall will have glazing to create a hot chamber. I wasn't sure if the trombe wall would even be needed considering I will have mass walls all the way around and an insulated concrete floor. I would appreciate any comments on what I have said so far.

My biggest question is regarding the solar chimney idea. If an entire south wall is glazed and collect heat, does it makes sense to install lower and upper vents across the entire south wall? Or does it work better with ventilation by only putting the vents in (like say) the center area? Are more vents better? I plan to use this for both convection and ventilation. Thanks.

Btw. I will be doing all the construction myself, except for the slab.

Sounds like you want upper and lower vents to the interior and upper vents to the exterior (so the solar chimney can pull air from the interior).

I'm not convinced that you wouldn't be better off with minimal glazing, some PV solar on the roof and a fan to move outside air on moderate summer days/nights.

Trombe wall designs have fallen into disfavor due to the high expense and low performance, better for folks who don't mind being too warm or too cold when weather patterns don't align well with the averages.

In most climates spending the money on more insulation and better (and fewer/smaller) windows tends to work out better.