This paper presents a parametric analytical study on the enhancement of natural ventilation in a solar house induced by a solar chimney and a solid adsorption cooling cavity. Some details on sizing such a system are also provided. Theoretical analyses are carried out to investigate the ventilation in the solar house with solar chimney alone, cooling cavity alone or with combined solar chimney and solar adsorption cooling cavity, without considering the wind effects. It is found that on a typical day, the solar house comprising of a 2.5 m(2) solar chimney, is able to create an airflow rate of more than 150 kg/h for the studied house. In addition, the ventilation rate at night is also increased by about 20% with the solar adsorption cooling cavity. It is expected that the proposed concept is useful to be incorporated with a stand-alone building or with a cluster of buildings for some favorable climates. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.