A simple description of a solar chimney is that of a vertical shaft utilizing solar energy to enhance the natural stack ventilation through a building.

During the day solar energy heats the chimney and the air within it, creating an updraft of air in the chimney. The suction created at the chimney's base can be used to ventilate and cool the building below. In most parts of the world it is easier to harness wind power for such ventilation, but on hot windless days such a chimney can provide ventilation where otherwise there would be none.

There are however a number of solar chimney variations. The basic design elements of a solar chimney are:

• The solar collector area: This can be located in the top part of the chimney or can include the entire shaft. The orientation, type of glazing, insulation and thermal properties of this element are crucial for harnessing, retaining and utilizing solar gains
• The main ventilation shaft: The location, height, cross section and the thermal properties of this structure are also very important.
• The inlet and outlet air apertures: The sizes, location as well as aerodynamic aspects of these elements are also significant

Air conditioning and mechanical ventilation have been for decades the standard method of environmental control in many building types especially offices. Global warming, pollution and dwindling energy supplies have lead to a new environmental approach in building design. Innovative technologies along with bioclimatic principles and traditional design strategies are often combined to create new and potentially successful design solutions. The solar chimney is one of these concepts currently explored by scientists as well as designers, mostly through research and experimentation.

A Solar chimney can serve many purposes. Direct gain warms air inside the chimney causing it to rise out the top and drawing air in from the bottom. This drawing of air can be used to ventilate a home or office, to draw air through a geothermal heat exchange, or to ventilate only a specific area such as a composting toilet.

Natural ventilation can be created by providing vents in the upper level of a building to allow warm air to rise by convection and escape to the outside. At the same time cooler air can be drawn in through vents at the lower level. Trees may be planted on that side of the building to provide shade for cooler outside air.