Tax term referring to a loss from a passive activity, such as ownership by not operation of rental real estate.
Passive smoking
The inhalation of environmental tobacco smoke; also called involuntary smoking.
Passive solar (building) design
A building design that uses structural elements of a building to heat and cool a building, without the use of mechanical equipment, which requires careful consideration of the local climate and solar energy resource, building orientation, and landscape features, to name a few. The principal elements include proper building orientation, proper window sizing and placement and design of window overhangs to reduce summer heat gain and ensure winter heat gain, and proper sizing of thermal energy storage mass (for example a Trombe wall or masonry tiles). The heat is distributed primarily by natural convection and radiation, though fans can also be used to circulate room air or ensure proper ventilation.
Passive solar heater
A solar water or space-heating system in which solar energy is collected, and/or moved by natural convection without using pumps or fans. Passive systems are typically integral collector/storage (ICS; or batch collectors) or thermosyphon systems. The major advantage of these systems is that they do not use controls, pumps, sensors, or other mechanical parts, so little or no maintenance is required over the lifetime of the system.
Passive solar heating
A system of features incorporated into a building's design to use and maximize the effects of he sun's natural heating capability. System that supplies solar heat without the use of pumps or electric fans.
Passive solar home
A house built using passive solar design techniques.
Passive/natural cooling
To allow or augment the natural movement of cooler air from exterior, shaded areas of a building through or around a building.
Paste
Thick mixture of adhesive.
Paste brush
Brush used to apply paste to wallpaper, usually wide.
Paste filler
Wood filler, doughy in substance, which fills in gouges, cracks, etc. in woodwork joints and which can be sanded smooth when dried so that it blends into the surrounding surface.
