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Energy efficient Architecture 2020 - 2

The document discusses various design techniques for energy-efficient architecture, focusing on solar passive strategies. Key elements include landscaping to control microclimates, optimizing the surface-to-volume ratio for thermal performance, and the importance of building orientation to manage heat gain and airflow. Additionally, it emphasizes the role of water bodies and plan form in enhancing energy efficiency in buildings.

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Sangeeta Banerjee
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9 views12 pages

Energy efficient Architecture 2020 - 2

The document discusses various design techniques for energy-efficient architecture, focusing on solar passive strategies. Key elements include landscaping to control microclimates, optimizing the surface-to-volume ratio for thermal performance, and the importance of building orientation to manage heat gain and airflow. Additionally, it emphasizes the role of water bodies and plan form in enhancing energy efficiency in buildings.

Uploaded by

Sangeeta Banerjee
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Subject : Energy Efficient Architecture

Design techniques for energy efficient buildings.

SESSION 2
INCORPORATING SOLAR PASSIVE
TECHNIQUES
A. LANDSCAPING
o Landscaping is an important element which helps in controlling the micro
climate of a site.
o Landscaping can prevent the incidence of direct sunlight onto the building,
thus reducing direct heat gain.
o It can also prevent reflect light from ground and other surfaces from
carrying the heat into the building.
o It can be used to change the air flow patterns and wind movement in an
advantageous manner.
o The shade created by trees, the effect of grass and shrubs reduces the air
temperature around the building and also provides evaporative cooling.
A. LANDSCAPING
o Roof gardens can reduce heat load of a building.
o Trees are the primary elements in an energy conserving landscape. e.g.
Planting deciduous trees on the southern side of a building is beneficial in a
composite climate.
- In summer the dense foliage of the trees blocks the sun’s rays from falling on
the building (northern hemisphere) thus reducing the heat gain to a great
extent. This effects in reducing the cooling load of the building.
- During winter, these deciduous trees shed their leaves and allow the
winter sun to warm up the building thus reducing the heating load.
B. RATIO OF BUILT FORM/SURFACE TO VOLUME RATIO
o The ratio of the volume of the internal space i.e the volume of the space to be cooled or
heated to the area of the surface enclosing the volume (envelope) has an effect on the
thermal performance of the building.
o This is known as S/V ratio (Surface to Volume) and is determined by the building form.
So we can understand that for a given volume of a building the lesser the surface area,
the lesser is the heat gain/loss.
o This technique has given rise to row housing in extreme and composite climates.
Row Housing

o In a row housing the external facade is only the roof and the front and
the back surfaces. The sides which are common to the adjacent
buildings has no external exposure, thus reducing the heat gain in
summer and heat loss in winter.
o However the depth of the building is to be optimized as more the depth,
the less will be the daylight penetration, which will increase the need
for artificial lighting thus increasing the energy demand.
C. LOCATION OF WATER BODIES
o Water has been used throughout history as a modifier of the microclimate in mostly
hot regions of the world.
o Evaporative cooling of water is a very effective way of reducing air temperature as
water takes away a large amount of heat during the process of evaporation (i.e latent
heat of evaporation).
o Architects should bear in mind that in humid climates, water treatment should be
avoided as it adds to the already existing humidity creating an uncomfortable/sweaty
climate.
o Pools, Fountains, Cascades and Water Walls are some of the ways of use of water.
D. ORIENTATION
o Orientation is a significant factor in designing an energy efficient building.
o It primarily affects the heat gain from solar energy i.e if the wider side of a building is
oriented towards the predominant sun path then it increases heat gain. This phenomenon
can be favourably utilized in lowering the energy demand of the building.
o It can also affect the comfort conditions of a building depending on the direction of wind
flow.
o The basic philosophy in design should be to orient the building in such a way so as to
maximize heat gain in cold climate and minimize solar gain in hot climate.
o For cold climates in the northern hemisphere, the ideal orientation is slightly east of
south (i.e 15° east of south) as by doing this we can expose the building more to the
morning sun and less to the scorching afternoon sun.
D. ORIENTATION
o Orientation is also important in the case of street design in a planning stage as a
predominant north-south alignment will have the adjoining buildings shading the streets
from the sun for most of the day, in a hot climate. Narrow streets are commonly found in
hot climates due to this reason. If the streets are heated for a longer period during the
day, it increases the ambient air temperature to a great extent and also reflected rays
from the streets increase the heat gain of the adjacent buildings.
D. ORIENTATION
o Wind is sometimes desirable and at times highly undesirable. In a warm and humid
climate, wind flow inside the building is an absolute necessity, as it moves the heat and
humidity away from the interior.
o Contrary to this in a hot or cold climate the external wind has to be restricted from
entering the interior space.
o Here we find orientation in respect to the predominant wind directions playing an
important role.
E. PLAN FORM
o Plan form is a very important determinant of heat
gain/loss and air flow inside the building.
o The plan form of a longish rectangular plan in case of
row housing is beneficial for reducing solar
gain/loss as only the shorter sides of the rectangle
are exposed to the exterior.
o In case of a humid climate, the plan form should not
have much depth with respect to the wind direction
to facilitate faster interior air movement.
F. BUILDING ENVELOPE AND FENESTRATION
oThe Building Envelope comprises of the following components:-

i. Materials
ii. Roof
iii. Walls
iv. Fenestration and Shading Devices
v. Finishes

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