Page 17 - Solar Power in Building Design The Engineer's Complete Design Resource

FOREWORD

Dr. Peter Gevorkian’s Solar Power in Building Design: The Engineer’s Complete
Design Resource is the third book in a sequence of comprehensive surveys in the field
of modern solar energy theory and practice. The technical title does little to betray to
the reader (including the lay reader) the wonderful and uniquely entertaining immer-
sion into the world of solar energy.
It is apparent to the reader, from the very first page, that the author is a master of
the field and is weaving a story with a carefully designed plot. The author is a great
storyteller and begins the book with a romantic yet rigorous historical perspective that
includes the contribution of modern physics. A description of Einstein’s photoelectric
effect, which forms one of the foundations of current photovoltaic devices, sets the
tone. We are then invited to witness the tense dialogue (the ac versus dc debate)
between two giants in the field of electric energy, Edison and Tesla. The issues, though
a century old, seem astonishingly fresh and relevant.
In the smoothest possible way Dr. Gevorkian escorts us in a well-rehearsed manner
through a fascinating tour of the field of solar energy—making stops to discuss the
basic physics of the technology, the manufacturing process, and detailed system
design. Occasionally there is a delightful excursion into subjects such as energy con-
servation, building codes, and the practical side of project implementation.
All this would have been more than enough to satisfy the versed and unversed in the
field of renewable energy. But as all masters, Dr. Gevorkian wraps up his textbook
in relevance by including a thorough discussion of the current solar initiatives
(California being a prototype), and the spectrum of programs and financial incentives
that are being created.
Solar Power in Building Design: The Engineer’s Complete Design Resource has
the seductive quality of being at once an overview and course in solar energy for any-
one with or without a technical background. I suspect that this book will likely become
a standard reference for all who engage in the emerging renewable energy field.
DR. DANNY PETRASEK, M.D., PH.D.
California Institute of Technology

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