Module 4

syllabus

• CLIMATE-RESPONSIVE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN (8 Hours)

• Architectural design strategies for different climatic zones -
Passive design techniques in built and un-built environment.
• The climatic design process: forward analysis – plan development –
element design – The Mahoney tables – Activity charts.
• Models and Analogues: wind tunnel – solarscope – artificial sky.
•
Climatic zones

• Reason for climate zones

• Interaction of solar radiation with the atmosphere and the gravitational forces
• Distribution of land and sea masses
• Certain zones and belts of approx uniform climates can be distinguished
• 􀁹 Designer should be familiar with these as these are indicative of the
climatic problems to be resolved
• 􀁹 Boundaries of climatic zones cannot be accurately mapped, one zone
merges gradually to another
Global climatic zones
 Tropical Climate

• Suggested by G A Atkinson in 1953

• Based on two atmospheric factors – air temperature and humidity which dominantly
influence human comfort
• Tropical regions of earth are divided into three major climatic zones and three sub
groups
• 1. Warm humid equatorial climate
• 􀁹 Subgroup: Warm humid island or Trade wind climate
• 2. Hot dry dessert or semi dessert climate
• 􀁹 Subgroup: hot dry maritime dessert climate
• 3. Composite or monsoon climate (combination of 1 & 2)
• 􀁹 Subgroup: tropical upland climate
 Tropical Climate
Warm humid Equatorial Hot dry desert or semi Composit climate
climate desert climate
location Belt near equator Occur in two belts at Near tropic of cancer and Capricon
extending of about15°N&S latitudes between sufficiently far from equator
approximately15&30degree
N & S of equator
Seasonal Very less Two marked seasons occur-a Two season occur – 2/3 of the year is hot
variation hot and a some what cooler and 1/3 is warm and humid
period
Air temp Day : 27 and 32 degree C Day 43 -49degree C Day Hot dry – 32-43 C
Night : 21-27 degree C (hot season) Warm humid – 27-32C
Day 27-32 degree C ( cool Cool dry -Upto 27C
season) Night 21-27C (Hoy dry)
Night – 24-30 C 24-27C(Warm humid)
10-18 C 4-10C( Cool dry)
Humidity 55%-100% 10-55% 20-55% - Dry period
55-95% - wet period
 Tropical Climate
Warm humid Equatorial Hot dry desert or semi Composite climate
climate desert climate
ppt High throughout the year Is slight and variable Monsoon rains are intense and prolonged
Annual rainfall -2000- throughout the year Annual rainfall 500-1300mm
5000mm Annual rainfall 50-155 mm
Sky Fairly cloudy throughout Normally clear Vary with season
condition the year
Solar Partly reflected and Direct and strong during day Alternates between condition found in
radiation partly scattered by cloud the warm and hot dry desert climates
or high vapor content
Wind Low velocity Winds are hot, carrying dust Hot and dusty during dry period
and sand and turn dust Monsoon winds are fairly strong and
storms often steady
Vegetation Grows quickly due to Sparse and difficult to Sparse
frequent rain and high maintain due to lack of rain Grows quickly during cooler period
temp and low humidity
Design considerations : Warm & Humid

• Covers the coastal parts of the country, such as Kerala, Tamilnadu &
Goa.
• The main design criteria is to reduce heat gain by providing shading,
and promote heat loss by maximizing cross ventilation.
Design considerations : Warm & Humid

• 1.Resisting heat gain

• a) Decreasing surface area of building exposed to outside.
• b) Using that material that take longer time to heat up.
• c) Increasing shading of the building in general.
• d) Using material that reflect heat.
• e)Use vegetation to moderate the solar impact
• 2. Promoting heat loss
• Appliances used are well ventilated.
Design considerations : Warm & Humid
• 1. SITE
a) Landform
• flat sites, for design consideration for the landform is immaterial.
• slopes and depressions- the building should be located on
windward side or crest to take advantage of cool breeze

b) Open spaces & build form

• Buildings should be spread out with large open spaces in between
for unrestricted air movement.
• In cities, buildings on stilts can promote ventilation and cause
cooling at ground level.
Design considerations : Warm & Humid

• c) Water bodies
• Water bodies are not essential as they would tend to further increase in humidity.

• d) Street width & orientation

• A north-south direction is ideal from the point of view of blocking solar radiation.
• The width of street should be such that the intense solar radiation during late morning and
early afternoon is avoid during the summers.
Design considerations : Warm & Humid

• 2. Orientation & Platform

• a) As temperature is not very high, free plants can be evolve as
long as house is under protective shade.

• b) An obstructed air path through the interiors are important to

ensure proper ventilation.

• c) The buildings could be long and narrow to allow cross-

ventilation. A singly loaded corridor plan.
 Design considerations : Warm & Humid

• 2. Orientation & Platform

• D)Heat and moisture producing areas like toilets and kitchens must be ventilated and
separated from the rest of structure.
• e)In multi-storeyed building a central courtyard can be provided with vents at higher level
to draw away rising hot air.
 Design considerations : Warm & Humid
• 3. Building Envelope
a) Roof
• In addition to provide shelter from rain and heat, the form of roof should
be planned to promote air flow.
• Vents at the rooftop effectively induce ventilation and draw hot air out.
• A double roof with a ventilated space in between can also be used to
promote air flow.
b) Walls
• The walls must also be designed to promote air flow so as to counter the
prevalent humidity.
• Baffle walls, both inside and outside the building can help to divert the
flow of wind inside.
• They should be protected from the heavy rainfall prevalent in such areas.
 Design considerations : Warm & Humid
• c) Fenestration
• Cross ventilation is of utmost importance in warm and humid climatic
regions.
• All doors & windows should preferably be kept open for maximum
ventilation for most of years.
• These must be provided with venetian blinds to shelter the rooms from
the sun and rain, as well as for control of movement.

• The opening should be shaded by external overhangs.

• Outlets at higher level serve to vent hot air.

 Design considerations : Warm & Humid
• the air movement within a
room can be better disturbed
Design considerations : Warm & Humid
• d) Colour & Texture
• The walls should be painted light pastel shades or whitewashed
• white surface of the roof be of broken tile to reflect sunlight back to the environment, and
hence reduce heat gain.
• The surface finish should be protected from effects of moisture.
• The use of appropriate colours & surface finishes is a cheap & very effective technique to
lower indoor temperature.

• Remark
• Ceiling fans are effective in reducing level of discomfort in this climate.
• Careful water proofing & drainage of water are essential consideration of building design due to
heavy rainfall.
• Desiccant cooling techniques can be employed as they reduce the humidity level.
Trivandrum Padmanabhapuram Palace

• It responds to the climate with steep sloping high tiled roofs, with deep eaves.
• The sides are open to the breeze, and air ventilates up through the porous tile roofs, ensuring
that the indoor temperature does not build up.
• Walls are white to reflect the sun, and often completely shaded by the verandahs
• For a cluster of buildings, an openness of planning, to allow the natural breeze to flow
through them is of paramount importance
Design considerations : Hot and dry desert

• The main points:

• Orientation and placement, to minimize sun exposure in summer.
• Form, compact to reduce surface areas of heat gain.
• Shade, for maximum sun protection in summer.
• Allow adequate heat gain in winter by movable shading devices.
• Ventilation, for regulation of air movement.
 Design considerations : Hot and dry desert
Orientation
• North –south orientation best suits for this type of climate as it
protects from morning and evening solar radiations.
• Apart from this local site conditions and its surroundings also plays
major role in deciding orientation .
• Bedrooms should be oriented to receive cool night air
House plans
• Compact plans are preferred as these will expose minimum surface
to harsh solar radiations.
• Deeper rooms are better against hot outside solar radiations.
• Inward looking plans best suits for this type of climate as these
straight away protect us from external solar heat and radiations
Design considerations : Hot and dry desert
• Courtyard planning along with some trees and small water body creates very good cool
microclimate as evaporative cooling effects occures in this type of courtyard.
• Thicker external walls with minimum windows should be used to avoid heat and solar
radiations.
• Heat producing areas should be separated from other areas of house
Openings
• External openings should be small.
• Eastern and western side windows should be protected by trees.
• Large glass areas should be avoided.
• Deep sun shades are required to shade windows effictevely.
• Window sill should be higher to provide dust protection
Design considerations : Hot and dry desert

Roofs
• Roof should be insulated from hot solar radiations
• Thicker insulating materials should be used for this
• A light coloured or totally white terrace surface will reduce effect of hot solar radiations
• Roofs should be made higher so that radiations from ceiling is less harsh and there is enough
space for hot dissipated air

Walls
• Eastern and western walls should be shaded with trees or some other screens.
• Double wall construction with proper ventilation may also be constructed on western side
Design considerations : Hot and dry desert

• Interiors
• Light cool colours should be used for interiors .
• Surfaces that may reflect radiations should be painted dark to reduce glaring effect.
• Exteriors
• Dark surfaces should be avoided as these would absorb heat
• Light coloured /shiney reflective surfaces should be used to reflect solar heat.
• Provide as much green surface as possible as this will cool the surroundings.
• Avoid hard paved surfaces as these may create glare and radiate heat inside the building.
Design considerations : Hot and dry desert

Passive cooling
• Cooling can be achieved by the evaporation of water
• The courtyard is provided with water and plants, it acts as a cooling
source
• Internal courtyards provide cross ventilation and natural cooling
• Most openings are to the internal courtyard rather than exterior surface
• Colours that absorb less heat should be used to paint the exterior surface
Design considerations : Hot and dry desert

Havelis of Rajasthan
A typical town of Rajasthan presents a very compactbpicture of houses and other buildings huddled
together so that they not only shade each other but also considerably reduce the exposed open spaces
around them.
• The height of the building compared to the width of the streets is large to create shaded cool
environment for the pedestrians and other social activities on the streets
• In cases where normal low level dust swirls within the settlement the interiors of buildings are protected
by almost blank walls with very small openings.
 Design considerations : Composite Climate
• Objectives :
• 1) Resist heat gain in summer & heat loss in winter
Site
• Sites oriented south-southeast and located in the middle or the lower middle of a slope are
preferred
• Depressions should be avoided because cold air accumulates there
• Houses should be located behind a wind shield, but be assured of exposure to the sun. This shield
can be formed by existing or newly planted vegetation, by other structures or by topography
Design considerations : Composite Climate

• ORIENTATION
• The orientation of the houses should be such that, penetration
of the sun rays maximum in winter and minimum in summer.
WATER BODIES
• Water absorbs relatively large amounts of radiation. It also
allow evaporative cooling. As a result, during the daytime areas
around water bodies are generally cooler. At night, however,
water bodies release relatively large amounts of heat to the
surroundings
Design considerations : Composite Climate

The outdoor space -as in all warm regions -should be actively used.
It should be planned to provide a well-balanced mix of open, sunny
areas for the cold season and shaded, well-ventilated areas for the
warm period.
• Open squares with groups of trees to provide shade are desirable.
Planting of deciduous trees and pergolas with deciduous creepers
are a possibility
Design considerations : Composite Climate

Building design
• Orientation and room placement should be south facing.
• Form depends on precipitation pattern.
• Shade in summer and heat gain in winter is necessary.
• Ventilation must be controllable.

• In upland areas, heating in winter becomes more important than cooling in

summer. Hence, rather compact structures with minimal but proper sun-
oriented exterior surfaces are desirable
• Buildings may be large and grouped close together. Row houses or adjoining
buildings have the advantage of reduced heat loss.
Design considerations : Composite Climate

Walls
• A medium heat storage capacity of internal and outer walls is appropriate to
avoid overheating in the daytime and keep the night temperature at comfort
level.
• Surfaces should generally have medium colors.
• In warmer regions a bright surface with higher reflectivity is appropriate.
• Absorptive, dark surfaces are possible in recessed areas, where the summer sun
does not reach.
• In upland regions joints between construction elements should be well-sealed
against air penetration.
• The application of a wallpaper to the inner surface is efficient in this respect
 Design considerations : Composite Climate
Windows and Openings
• Windows should be of medium size with openings on
opposite walls for proper cross-ventilation during the humid
period.
• On the west and north side windows should be small.
• The total window area should not exceed 25% of the floor
area.
• In upland areas
• •As many windows as possible should be located on the
south side of the building to utilize the heating effect of
solar radiation.
• Windows should be equipped with tightly closing glazed
panels, which provide protection against heat loss during
the cold season and also against flow of heat and dusty air
during the dry and hot season
Design considerations : Composite Climate
Roof
• Waterproofing
• The roof should protect the building from precipitation and therefore be carefully waterproofed.

• Thermal insulation
• The roof should provide protection against heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter. The roof should,
therefore, have thermal insulation properties.

• Reflectivity
• Usually a multilayer construction is required. The reflectivity and emissivity of the outer surface is then of minor
importance

• Vegetation
• •Deciduous trees are suitable for shading purposes.
• •Such shading trees are best located on the east and west side of a building.
• •Vegetation which is too dense and too close to the building should be avoided because of dampness effect.
Climate design process
Mahoney’s Table

• Table derived by C Mahoney

• Table 1 : To record the most essential climatic data
• Table 2: Facilities a diagnosis of the climate
• Table 3: Translates into performance specifications or sketch
design recommendations
Data
Model studies

• As outdoor illumination is constantly changing, it has been necessary to

construct artificial skies ie lighting arrangement which simulates the
illumination obtained from a sky hemisphere under which day lighting
studies can be carried out on models
• For quantitative studies, the models need not be realistic, shades of grey
can be substituted for actual colors ~scale of 1:20
• For qualitative studies, for the assessment of lighting quality, a more
realistic model should be built visually sufficiently representative of the
room, its furniture and furnishings ~scale of 1:10
Software simulations

• Calculating daylight factors requires

complex repetition of calculations
and thus is generally undertaken
using complex software like
Radiance.
Wind tunnel

• a facility that provides a controllable flow field for investigating

various flow phenomena and testing aerodynamic models
• a tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air
moving past solid objects
• Advantage: experiments can be performed under well-controlled
flow circumstances compared to open environment experiments
Solarscope

• What can be measured :

- earth rotation speed
- day duration
- true local noon
- earth poles axis inclination
- sun rotation speed
- latitude of the observation spot
- earth orbit ellipticity
- astronomical Unit (AU