The design of buildings based on passive solar architecture comes from ancient times and has remained linked to the traditional architecture of many countries. The first case was the MIT Solar House #1 built around 1939 in Massachusetts (USA) under the academic project and direction of H.C. Hotel. This building implied a paradigm that over the course of two decades generated competition between American universities, first, to which European universities later joined. This led to the holding of conferences and the creation of national and international associations (ASES"), ANES"), ISES, ASADES, PLEA) where architects, physicists and engineers met in a multidisciplinary academic space working in groups to create these experimental homes. The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) was the pioneer association created in 1954, which was followed by the Argentine Solar Energy Association (ASADES) in 1974, the National Solar Energy Association of Mexico (ANES) in 1980, among others. New ideas and proposals were tested, innovations were generated, each progress was monitored and modeled, meticulously recorded in minutes of conferences and meetings or referenced magazines of each association.

These solar constructions, mainly homes, were carried out mainly in the developed world although cases were also carried out in developing countries, such as South America. New constructions were continually appearing in rural areas or in urban suburbs by enthusiastic buyers. They were systematically ignored by the construction industry until the end of the century, when the problem of global warming and climate change arose, blaming the construction of habitat for 50% of the problem. This becomes public and the media begins to talk about eco-architecture, green architecture, sustainable architecture, sustainable architecture. Adjectives to the word architecture that seek to differentiate it from conventional architecture, implying environmental awareness and therefore a minimization of the local and/or global environmental impact generated by each construction.

Despite the lack of general interest, passive solar technologies were revived and improved in the last third of the century coinciding with the oil crisis of 1973. The introduction of computer-aided design technologies and the appearance of pioneering constructions also helped.

At the beginning of the century, the topic has gained new interest, mainly due to the already visible consequences of global warming of the planet.

Pragmatic: a house could save on the order of 30% or more in heating costs without hardly modifying its appearance, comfort or usability. This can be achieved through a correct location of the windows, small contributions of thermal mass and good thermal insulation. A wall facing the equator can receive the Sun's rays during the day, accumulate heat and release it at night.

Seasonal: Traditionally, passive solar technology has focused on daily cycles of heat accumulation/radiation to maintain optimal temperature conditions that can be maintained for a few days even in the absence of sunny days. Recent research has developed techniques to accumulate heat in hot seasons and release it months later in cold seasons. These techniques require large amounts of thermal mass generally located in the subsoil about 7 meters deep and perfectly insulated to avoid heat loss due to the weather or water. In the cold months, heat can be recovered by conducting it through plastic pipes and introducing it into the home's heating system.

Minimum machinery: a pure passive solar house should not incorporate any mechanical or electrical elements to be considered as such. It should only use the energy radiated by the Sun and receive only incidentally the heat produced by elements such as light bulbs, candles, stoves, household appliances, showers, people or animals. The use of natural ventilation mechanisms#Types_of_Ventilation##Natural_Ventilation "Ventilation (architecture)") in which fans or other devices do not intervene, are usually included within these techniques, although they are not strictly considered passive solar designs.

The design of buildings based on passive solar architecture comes from ancient times and has remained linked to the traditional architecture of many countries. The first case was the MIT Solar House #1 built around 1939 in Massachusetts (USA) under the academic project and direction of H.C. Hotel. This building implied a paradigm that over the course of two decades generated competition between American universities, first, to which European universities later joined. This led to the holding of conferences and the creation of national and international associations (ASES"), ANES"), ISES, ASADES, PLEA) where architects, physicists and engineers met in a multidisciplinary academic space working in groups to create these experimental homes. The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) was the pioneer association created in 1954, which was followed by the Argentine Solar Energy Association (ASADES) in 1974, the National Solar Energy Association of Mexico (ANES) in 1980, among others. New ideas and proposals were tested, innovations were generated, each progress was monitored and modeled, meticulously recorded in minutes of conferences and meetings or referenced magazines of each association.

These solar constructions, mainly homes, were carried out mainly in the developed world although cases were also carried out in developing countries, such as South America. New constructions were continually appearing in rural areas or in urban suburbs by enthusiastic buyers. They were systematically ignored by the construction industry until the end of the century, when the problem of global warming and climate change arose, blaming the construction of habitat for 50% of the problem. This becomes public and the media begins to talk about eco-architecture, green architecture, sustainable architecture, sustainable architecture. Adjectives to the word architecture that seek to differentiate it from conventional architecture, implying environmental awareness and therefore a minimization of the local and/or global environmental impact generated by each construction.

Despite the lack of general interest, passive solar technologies were revived and improved in the last third of the century coinciding with the oil crisis of 1973. The introduction of computer-aided design technologies and the appearance of pioneering constructions also helped.

At the beginning of the century, the topic has gained new interest, mainly due to the already visible consequences of global warming of the planet.

Pragmatic: a house could save on the order of 30% or more in heating costs without hardly modifying its appearance, comfort or usability. This can be achieved through a correct location of the windows, small contributions of thermal mass and good thermal insulation. A wall facing the equator can receive the Sun's rays during the day, accumulate heat and release it at night.

Seasonal: Traditionally, passive solar technology has focused on daily cycles of heat accumulation/radiation to maintain optimal temperature conditions that can be maintained for a few days even in the absence of sunny days. Recent research has developed techniques to accumulate heat in hot seasons and release it months later in cold seasons. These techniques require large amounts of thermal mass generally located in the subsoil about 7 meters deep and perfectly insulated to avoid heat loss due to the weather or water. In the cold months, heat can be recovered by conducting it through plastic pipes and introducing it into the home's heating system.

Minimum machinery: a pure passive solar house should not incorporate any mechanical or electrical elements to be considered as such. It should only use the energy radiated by the Sun and receive only incidentally the heat produced by elements such as light bulbs, candles, stoves, household appliances, showers, people or animals. The use of natural ventilation mechanisms#Types_of_Ventilation##Natural_Ventilation "Ventilation (architecture)") in which fans or other devices do not intervene, are usually included within these techniques, although they are not strictly considered passive solar designs.