AN ANALYSIS OF PERCEPTUAL RESPONSES TO SOLAR ENERGY ADAPTATION IN RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

The focus of this study was an examination of the relationship of people to their built environment and the manner in which the energy problem affects this relationship. Specific concentration was given to the energy alternative of solar energy and the adaptation necessary for an active solar energy system to function.; An overview of the energy problem is presented, followed by a review of various energy alternatives, with concentration directed toward solar energy.; The review of literature provided represents pertinent information dealing with man/environment relationships. Technological aspects of an active solar system are provided in the appendix.; In order to investigate the manner in which people perceive their built-environment with and without an adaptation for solar energy, a questionnaire was developed which consisted of fifteen adjective pairs, called a semantic differential. Each of the adjective pairs represent opposites of each other; i.e., large versus small.; A sample of 181 people taken from those attending the 1979 Columbia, Missouri Home Show, responded to the semantic differential in regard to two drawings. A primary limitation of the study was the fact that the event from which the subjects were solicited was oriented toward housing and therefore did not represent a cross-section of the community.; The drawings presented to the subjects represented one residence without a solar adaptation and an identical drawing representing the residence with a solar adaptation. In addition each subject was asked to complete a personal profile specifying demographic variables.; The data collected from the responses was submitted to the University of Missouri Computer Center for computer analysis. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were used to compile the information and to draw conclusions. Factor analysis was also used to create a parsimonious rendition of the original fifteen semantic differential adjective sets.; From the analysis of variance and the multivariate analysis of variance, it was found that on the perceptual level, there was little to no difference between the solar and the non-solar residence. In other words, the responses of the individuals did not show anything statistically significant in the manner in which people perceived the solar and the non-solar representation. Each of the variables of age, sex, marital status, income, education, community size, number of times moved, and distance of moves were examined in relation to the perception of the solar versus the non-solar residence.; The factor analysis of the data yielded four factors for the solar adjectives and six for the non-solar adjectives reducing the number of the original fifteen semantic differential adjective pairs. Each of these factors and their importance was assessed and plotted on profiles. It was determined that the factor analysis yielded important underlying constructs in the perception of the solar and the non-solar residence which could be applied to design information for future use.; Since the individuals' responses to the questionnaires indicated that there was not a perceptual difference between solar and non-solar for this study, it was suggested that the design of the residence and the integration of the solar collectors with the overall concept of the housing design stood out as a primary factor in the perception of the unit itself.; This study is proposed as a beginning step toward further research oriented in regard to people and their relationship to their energy environments.