ENERGY EFFICIENT

ARCHITECTURE
SYLLABUS
 QUESTIONS – 10 X 4 = 40 MARKS
1. What are passive solar buildings? (slide 9)
2. what is the difference between passive and active
design. (S – 10,11)
3. What are the factors that effect the microclimate? (43)
4. Explain earth air tunnel (131,132)
5. What are the ways in which heat is transferred?
(151,152)
6. What is transmittance or U value? (162,163)
7. What is thermal mass and building fabric ?(169,171)
8. Sketch a chart for solar passive techniques. (198)
9. What is CSP and PV? (99-102)
10. What is role of vegetation in directing wind? (67,68,69)
 UNIT 1

PASSIVE DESIGN
THERMOSTAT – a device that automatically responds to changes in
temperature by activating a heating or cooling system to maintain the
temperature at a desired setting
(APERTURE – An opening)
The Reichstag
building is a
historical building
in Berlin,
Germany by
Norman Foster
 ASSIGNMENT
• Each one does a study on Various methods of
achieving energy efficient architecture with
building examples in India.
• SUBMISSION by 18 July in A4 sheets, neatly
presented. (manual/print)
Sarking - boarding or building felt fixed over the rafters of a roof
before the tiles or slates are added.
• The need to use alternative sources of
energy in view of the depleting resources and
climate change
- simple and passive design considerations
- importance of day lighting and natural
ventilation in building design
- future trends in creating sustainable built
environment
- efficiency is "using less time and effort"
 What is energy efficiency?
• When you replace a single pane window in your house with an energy-efficient
one, the new window prevents heat from escaping in the winter, so you save
energy by using your furnace or electric heater less while still staying comfortable.
In the summer, efficient windows keep the heat out, so the air conditioner does
not run as often and you save electricity.

• When you replace an appliance, such as a refrigerator or clothes washer, or office

equipment, such as a computer or printer, with a more energy-efficient model, the
new equipment provides the same service, but uses less energy. This saves you
money on your energy bill, and reduces the amount of greenhouse gases going
into the atmosphere.
• Energy efficiency is not energy conservation.
• Energy conservation is reducing or going without a service to
save energy.
For example: Turning off a light is energy conservation.
Replacing an incandescent lamp with a compact fluorescent
lamp (which uses much less energy to produce the same
amount of light) is energy efficiency.
Both efficiency and conservation can reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
 Why is energy efficiency the most
abundant, cheapest way to reduce
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions?
• Anywhere energy is used, there are opportunities to increase efficiency. In most
cases, energy efficiency measures will pay for themselves over time in the form of
lower energy bills.
• How quickly they pay back their investment depends on a lot of factors, such as the
cost of energy, and the overall use of the measure—for example, how many hours
an appliance is on. Weather is a factor when the measure is related to maintaining
environmental conditions—in air conditioning, heating for example.
• Economic analysis of the cost of various energy efficiency measures, compared with
that of building various types of energy sources that emit less GHG than fossil-
powered plants, shows that most energy efficiency measures are cheaper, and
therefore pay for themselves faster, than most kinds of energy generation.
 Building Massing & Orientation
• "Massing" is deciding on the overall shape and size of
the building. Will the building be tall or short? Long
and thin? Will it have significant cut outs, or be more
solid? Successful massing uses the general shape and
size of the building to minimize energy loads as much
as possible and to maximize free energy from the sun
and wind.
• Orientation is simply what compass direction the
building faces. Along with massing, orientation can be
the most important step in providing a building with
passive thermal and visual comfort. Orientation should
be decided together with massing early in the design
process.
 Building Massing & Orientation
• Aside for reducing energy use and enabling
passive design strategies, successful massing
and orientation can take advantage of site
conditions, such as rainwater harvesting, and
can help the building contribute to the health
and vitality of the surrounding ecological,
social, and economic communities. For
instance, it can be massed and oriented to
connect its social spaces with street life.
Massing decisions depend on the specifics of the project site
and goals. Building information modeling (BIM – software
tools) is a process involving the generation and management of
digital representations of physical and functional characteristics
of places. Building information models (BIMs) are files (often
but not always in proprietary formats and containing
proprietary data) which can be extracted, exchanged or
networked to support decision-making regarding a building.

BIM tools can provide designers with early conceptual energy

analysis to test different massing options. This analysis can take
into account how site features like natural land formations,
surrounding buildings, or vegetation affect the performance of
the design. Such features can shade the sun and change wind
patterns, so this is especially important for thermal comfort and
daylighting comfort. They can also affect rainwater harvesting.
 Building Orientation

Orientation is simply what compass direction the building faces. It should

be optimized early-on, along with massing, and can be the most important
step for passive design.

Different building orientations

Windward leeward
side side
It may be advisable to
locate solar collection
devices utilizing the
solar energy gathered
by the collectors
CLIMATE
TYPES OF CLIMATE

MACROCLIMATE :
Is the regional climates that are categorized as
very cold, cold, hot humid, hot dry etc.
1.Hot humid.
2.Hot dry.
3.Cold and wet

MICROCLIMATE:
Microclimate is the climate which immediately surrounds
the buildings
How plants affect microclimate?

• Plants absorb solar radiation

• Decreases earth temperature.
• Reduce dust.
• Air movement and air filtration.
• Decreases soil erosion.
• Increases water amount in soil.
• Provide soil with organic fertilizers.
WIND PROTECTION

Wind can control real or perceived air temperature.

 Wind may be diverted, or lessened by obstructions such as
buildings, walls, fences, landforms and plants.
• Plants can control wind by obstruction, guidance,
deflection, and filtration.
• Plants of varying height, width, species, and composition
planted either individually or in rows influence wind
deflection.

THE USE OF TREES TO CONTROL WIND DIRECTION

 OBSTRUCTION FILTRATION

GUIDANCE
DEFLECTION
 Heat is not lost to
the environment but
eventually absorbed
by other close
building
Modern buildings makes compact planning inappropriate in hot regions due to decrease in heat
loss capacity.
Tarmac – bituminous surface of road.
Hygroscopic – readily taking up and retaining water esp from atmosphere
Evapotranspiration - the process by which water is transferred from the land to the
atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants.
• The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-
based autonomous intergovernmental
organization established in the framework of
the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development. The Agency's mandate has
broadened to focus on the "3Es" of effectual
energy policy: energy security, economic
development, and environmental protection. The
latter has focused on mitigating climate change.
The IEA has a broad role in promoting alternate
energy sources.
(to measure
speed of wind)
The terawatt is equal to one trillion (1012) watts.
Concentrated solar power (also called concentrating solar power, concentrated solar thermal,
and CSP) systems generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area
of sunlight onto a small area.
A photovoltaic power station, also known as a solar park, is a large-scale photovoltaic system
(PV system) designed for the supply of merchant power into the electricity grid. They are
differentiated from most building-mounted and other decentralised solar power applications
because they supply power at the utility level, rather than to a local user or users. They are
sometimes also referred to as solar farms especially when sited in agricultural areas.
Concentrated
solar thermal plant
photovoltaic power station,
Medium temperature collectors are used for heating water for
cooking.

Temperature range of low temperature collectors - 5 to 30 deg

Temperature range of medium temperature collectors - 30 to 100
deg
Spain - CSP
• The "photovoltaic effect" is the basic physical
process through which a solar cell converts
sunlight into electricity.
Concentrator systems using high-efficiency
multijunction solar cells - showing an Concentrator systems using high-efficiency
individual module. multijunction solar cells - showing an
entire array
• Warm and humid
• Nisha’s play School, Goa
• Office building of the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development
Agency, Kolkata
• Office-cum-laboratory for the West Bengal Pollution Control Board,
Kolkata
• Silent Valley, Kalasa
• Vikas Apartments, Auroville
• La Cuisine Solaire, Auroville
• Kindergarten School, Auroville
• Visitors’ Centre, Auroville
• Computer Maintenance Corporation House, Mumbai
• Dormitory Building, Karjat
 ABOUT TERI @new delhi
• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is a leading think tank
dedicated to conducting research for sustainable development of
India and the Global South.
• TERI was established in 1974 as an information centre on energy
issues. However, over the following decades, it made a mark as a
research institute, whose policy and technology solutions
transformed people's lives and the environment.
• TERI's key focus lies in promoting:
• Clean energy
• Water management
• Pollution management
• Sustainable agriculture
• Climate resilience (to recover from a negative state)
 Energy efficient buildings
• Harnessing traditional architecture and modern science
• If the techniques and the approach developed by TERI
for energy-efficient buildings are applied to just 10% of
the buildings constructed in cities every year, India can
expect enough savings to light 20 million rural
households. And if these numbers are mere projections,
here is something more concrete: a conference facility
including accommodation with a built-up area of 3000
square meters reduced its energy requirements from
280 kilowatts to 96 kilowatts by employing the
principles of energy-efficient building design.
• A self-contained island
• When the Financial Express wrote about RETREAT
(Resource-Efficient TERI Retreat for Environmental
Awareness and Training), the paper described the
facility as a self-contained island. The building
employs an array of techniques – a 'combination of
modern science and traditional knowledge' to quote
former Prime Minister Vajpayee's words when he
inaugurated the facility – including solar chimneys
and earth air tunnels, fully integrated solar
photovoltaic systems, water recycling, and a gasifier
( a process of transforming carbon based materials
into a mix of carbon monoxide and hydrogen that
can serve as fuel) that uses firewood, dried leaves
and twigs, and similar waste material to achieve not
only considerable savings in energy consumption but
also to reduce its 'ecological footprint'.
Fan
room
 EARTH AIR TUNNELS
•Daily and annual temperature
fluctuations decrease with the increase in
depth below the ground surface.
•At a depth of about 6m below ground,
the temperature inside the earth remains
nearly constant round the year and is
nearly equal to the annual average
temperature of the place.
•A tunnel in the form of a pipe or
otherwise embedded at a depth of about
6 m below the ground will acquire the
same temperature as the surrounding
earth at its surface.
•Therefore, the ambient air ventilated
through this tunnel will get cooled in
summer and warmed in winter and this
air can be used for cooling in summer.
Qanat - (in the Middle East) a
gently sloping underground
channel or tunnel constructed to
lead water from the interior of a
hill to a village below.
The living quarters (the south block of RETREAT) are maintained at comfortable
temperatures (approx. 20-30 degree Celsius) round the year by the earth air tunnel
system, supplemented, whenever required, with a system of absorption chillers
(Absorption chillers use heat energy instead of mechanical energy to provide
refrigeration, so they can be powered by lower cost fuel or waste heat. Heat required
for the chiller is typically provided by steam or water from a boiler or solar energy but
can also be provided by an integral, direct gas-fired heater. Absorption chillers involve a
complex cycle of absorbing heat from a driving source to create chilled water.)
powered by liquefied natural gas and with an air washer (An air washer is a piece of
equipment that is designed to improve air quality by scrubbing the air that moves
through it and adjusting humidity levels to keep the environment consistent. Air
washers are used as part of climate control and air quality systems.) during dry
summer.

•However, the cooler air underground needs to be circulated in the living space. Each
room in the south block has a 'solar chimney; warm air rises and escapes through the
chimney, which creates an air current for the cooler air from the underground tunnels
to replace the warm air.

•Two blowers installed in the tunnels speed up the process.

•The same mechanism supplies warm air from the tunnel during winter.
 absorption chillers

air washer
PASSIVE SPACE
CONDITIONING USING
EARTH AIR TUNNEL SYSTEM
• Solar water heaters- Twenty-four solar water-heating panels
provide up to 2000 litres of hot (65 °C) water every day.
• Integrated photovoltaic systems - The energy captured by the
photovoltaic panels is fed into a battery bank, which is the
main source of power at night. A number of panels, each
measuring 1.1 by 1.2 metres, are joined and form an integral
part of the roof of the building. The panels can generate up to
10.7 kilowatts peak of energy.
• Biomass gasifier - Firewood, dried leaves and twigs, the
stubble left in the field after a crop is harvested, and such other
forms of biomass fuel the 50-kilowatt gasifier, which is the
source of power for the building during the day. The gasifier
runs a generator, the diesel requirements of which have been
cut down to 30% after appropriate modifications; the rest of
the fuel comes from the gasifier in the form of 'producer gas'.
One unit of electricity produced needs 1 kilogram of biomass
and 90 millilitre of diesel.
• Effective insulation, shade provided by trees, and a network of
underground earth air tunnels circulating cool air throughout
the residential block ensure that the temperature in the
complex remains more or less even all year round.
• Daylighting - Specially designed skylights, energy efficient
lights, and a sophisticated system of monitoring and controlling
the consumption of electricity illuminate the complex. A master
control system switches off the lights automatically whenever it
senses that daylight alone is enough to maintain the desired
level of illumination. In the living rooms, strategically placed
light points and specially designed swivels make it possible to
use the light at a study table as well as for bedside reading.
• Recycling waste water - A bed of reed plants (Phragmites) (Reed
is a common name for several tall, grass-like plants of wetlands
)clarifies 5000 litres of water from the toilets and kitchen every
day; the recycled water is used for irrigation. Sewage is
collected initially in a settling tank that allows sludge to settle to
the bottom. Part of the waste is decomposed at this stage by
microbes. Then, the water is passed through a bed of soil,
which also supports specially selected reeds well adapted to
waterlogged soils. The roots of these plants act as living filters:
they absorb and remove many of the toxic substances from
waste water.
 swivel lighting
Phragmites
Applications/benefits
• TERI can provide innovative solutions similar to
those described here to promote energy efficiency
in any building or group of buildings–old, new, or
yet to be constructed.
• Energy-efficient buildings require a higher
investment of 29 500 rupees per square meter, as
compared with 19 000 rupees per square meter for
a non-energy efficient building, but offer substantial
savings in energy consumption.
• Energy saved is energy generated
• Features of building design itself, such as
appropriate orientation, insulation, and shading –
what is referred to as 'passive solar architecture' –
can reduce energy requirements by about 10% and
day-lighting, control systems, and energy-efficient
lamps can bring them down by another 25%.
• A TERI study of 18 premier hotels in India found
that energy conservation measures can lower
electricity bills by 15% to 20%.
• Greywater or sullage is all wastewater generated in
households or office buildings from streams without
fecal contamination, i.e. all streams except for the
wastewater from toilets. Sources of greywater
include, sinks, showers, baths, clothes washing
machines or dish washers.
 Body heat exchange

evaporation

radiation

convection

radiation

conduction
Radiation – heat is transferred by radiation
(through space) in the form of radiant energy.
When the radiation strikes on object, some of
the energy is absorbed and transformed into
heat and some of energy is reflected back. One
of the ways of reducing heat absorption from
radiation is to introduce a suitable reflecting
surface.
Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) is the energy radiating from the Earth as
infrared radiation at low energy to Space. OLR is electromagnetic radiation emitted from
Earth and its atmosphere out to space in the form of thermal radiation.
 Transmittance or U-Value

• In real life situations in almost all the building

components, heat transfer takes place
through different modes.
• the wall receives heat through convection
from the ambient air, through conduction the
heat gets transmitted upto the inner surface.
 Transmittance or U-Value

• The term ‘U’ represents overall thermal conductance from the

outside to inside covering all modes of heat transfer.,
• ‘U- value’ can be defined as the rate of heat flow over unit
area of any building component through unit overall
temperature difference between both sides of the
component.
• The U-Value is an important concept in building design. It
represents the air-to-air transmittance of an element. This
refers to how well an element conducts heat from one side to
the other, which makes it the reciprocal of its thermal
resistance. Thus, if we calculate the thermal resistance of an
element, we can simply invert it to obtain the U-Value

U=1/R
above
• Roof shingles are a roof covering consisting of
individual overlapping elements. These elements are
typically flat, rectangular shapes laid in courses from
the bottom edge of the roof up, with each successive
course overlapping the joints below. Shingles are made
of various materials such as wood, slate, fibre
cement, metal, plastic, and composite material such
as asphalt shingles
Infiltration is the unintentional or accidental introduction of outside air into a
building, typically through cracks in the building envelope and through use of
doors for passage. Infiltration is sometimes called air leakage.
Adobe is one of the oldest building materials in use. It is
basically just dirt that has been moistened with water,
sometimes with chopped straw or other fibres added for
strength, and then allowed to dry in the desired shape.
Commonly adobe is shaped into uniform blocks that can be
stacked like bricks to form walls, but it can also be simply
piled up over time to create a structure.
• Aluminium sun breakers
Blanket insulation
Batt insulation
 Reflective sheet
material

Insulating boards
Foam
plaster

Foam
plastic
• A chhajja is the projecting or overhanging eaves or
cover of a roof, usually supported on large carved
brackets. It forms part of the architecture of Rajasthan,
Gujarat, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

Weather shed
SOLAR PASSIVE ARCHITECTURE

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVING SITE CONDITIONS,

BUILDING ORIENTATION,
PLAN FORM AND BUILDING ENVELOPE
HEAT TRANSFER AND THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF WALLS AND ROOFS
 ENERGY EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE
• . Energy resource efficiency in new constructions can be effected by
adopting an integrated approach to building design. The primary
steps in this approach would be to:
– Incorporate solar passive techniques in a building design to
minimize load on conventional systems (heating, cooling,
ventilation and lighting) Passive systems provide thermal and
visual comfort by using natural energy sources and sinks e.g.
solar radiation, outside air, wet surfaces, vegetation, internal
gains etc. Energy flows in these systems are by natural means
such as by radiation, conduction, convection with minimal or no
use of mechanical means. The solar passive systems thus, vary
from one climate to the other e.g. in a cold climate an architects’
aim would be design a building in such a way that solar gains are
maximized, but in a hot climate his primary aim would be to
reduce solar gains, maximize natural ventilation and so on.
– Design energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems (heating,
ventilation and air-conditioning) Once the passive solar architectural
concepts are applied to a design, the load on conventional systems
(HVAC and lighting) is reduced. Further, energy conservation is possible
by judicious design of the artificial lighting and HVAC system using
energy efficient equipment, controls and operation strategies.
– Use renewable energy systems (solar photovoltaic systems/ solar
water heating systems) to meet a part of building load The pressure on
the earth’s nonrenewable resources can be reduced by judicious use of
earth’s renewable resources i.e. solar energy. Use of solar energy for
meeting electrical needs for a building can further reduce
consumption of conventional forms of energy.
– Use low energy materials and methods of construction and reduce
transportation energy. An architect also should aim at efficient
structural design, reduction of use of high energy building material
(glass, steel etc.)
– Architects can achieve energy efficiency in the buildings they design by
studying the macro-and micro-climate of the site, applying bioclimatic
architectural principles to combat the adverse conditions.
 Low Embodied Energy Building
Materials
• What is Embodied Energy?
• The term “embodied energy” refers to the energy that is
used during construction. This includes the energy needed
to obtain raw materials; the energy needed to then turn
these raw materials into building materials such as timber,
concrete, steel, or bricks; the energy used to transport the
materials; and finally, the energy needed to power the
tools and machinery needed for construction. Another
element of embodied energy that you may not think of is
how long the materials used in construction will last as
each demolishing or renovation will consume more energy
and raw materials. therefore, building for quality and
durability will actually reduce your building’s embodied
energy.
• Types of Low Embodied Energy Building Materials
• Mud brick
• Stabilised earth
• Air dried timber
• Concrete blocks
• Precast concrete
• AAC (Autoclaved aerated concrete is a lightweight,
precast, foam concrete building material that
simultaneously provides structure, insulation, and fire
resistance. AAC products include blocks, wall panels,
floor and roof panels, cladding (facade) panels.
• Recycled materials (these require no raw materials as
they are already made)
Some common design elements that directly or
indirectly affects thermal comfort conditions and
thereby the energy consumption in a building are
(a) landscaping,
(b) ratio of built form to open spaces,
(c) location of water bodies,
(d) orientation,
(e) plan form, and
(f) building envelope and fenestration.
This techniques can be easily incorporated in the
building without much additional cost.
It is effective utilization
 SOLAR PASSIVE TECH – SOIL CONDITION
 Site condition occupy an important position
 Careful selection of the site can help save
considerable amount of energy and also provide
a fairly satisfactory indoor environment
throughout the year.
 MACROCLIMATE AND MICROCLIMATE
MACROCLIMATE
The macroclimate condition predominantly
define the climatic zone and requirements of
comfort for a particular place.
These include solar radiation, air temperature,
humidity, precipitation, wind, etc
MICROCLIMATE
 the heading of microclimate are the conditions of the wind, sun
radiation, temperature and humidity experienced at particular
locations around a building
 The building itself causing a obstruction to the wind flow and
casting shadows on the ground and other buildings, will change
its microclimate by its presence.
 Understanding of the below factors will help in the preparation
of the site layout plan
 Microclimate of the site is affected by the following factors
1. Land Form
2. Vegetation
3. Water Bodies
4. Street Width and Orientation
5. Open Spaces and built form
 SITE CONDITION –LAND FORM
LAND FORM
 Represents the topography of the site
 It may be flat, undulating or sloping. Major land forms affecting
the site are mountains, valley and plains.
 Each of them has varying effect on the microclimate and have
to be planned accordingly.
UNDULATING SITE
 The air temp and air flow patterns vary in different parts of the
site
VALLEY
 The hot air temp being lighter rises above, while cooler air
having higher density settles into the depressions, resulting in a
lower temp at the bottom.
 The wind flow is higher along the direction of the valley than
across it due to unrestricted movement
SLOPES
The air speed increases as it moves up the windward side, reaching
a maximum at the crest and minimum on the leeward side.
The difference in air speed is caused due to the low pressure area
developed on the leeward side.
The orientation of the slope too plays a part in determining the
amount of solar radiation falling on the site.
 SITE CONDITION – WATER BODIES
 Sea, Lake, River, Pond, Fountain
 Water absorbs relatively large amount of radiation. They 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. This
heat can be used for warming purposes.
 In hot-dry climates, water/ water bodies can be used both for
evaporative cooling as well as minimizing heat gain. Taking into
account wind patterns and vegetation they can be used to direct
cool breeze into the house. A roof pond minimizes heat gain
through the roof.
• In cold climates, water bodies are beneficial only if their heat gain
and loss can be controlled. This would happen only if the water body
can be enclosed by the building. However, we may be faced with a
large water body in a cold region. The best thing to do then is to stay
away from it. The wind pattern would have to be studied and winds
avoided either by building location, vegetation pattern or both.
• In warm-humid regions water bodies are best avoided. The minimal
benefit provided by evaporative cooling would be offset by the
heightened humidity levels.
 SITE CONDITION – VEGETATION TYPE
AND PATTERN
• Important role in changing the microclimate of the place
• They absorb radiation for photosynthesis.
• Shading a particular part of the structure and ground to reduce the heat gain and
reflected radiation.
• By releasing moisture, they help raise the humidity level.
• Vegetation creates different air flow patterns and can be used to direct or divert
the prevailing wind advantageously by causing minor pressure differences.
• Based on the requirement of a climate, an appropriate type of tree can be selected.
Planting deciduous trees such as mulberry and champa on east and west side
would prove beneficial in HOT DRY Zones.
• Besides providing shade from intense and glaring morning and evening sun, they
also cut off hot breezes.
• Deciduous trees shed their leaves in winter to allow solar radiation to heat the
building.
 SITE CONDITION –VEGETATION TYPE AND
PATTERN
Landscaping is an important element in altering
the microclimate of a place. Proper landscaping
reduces direct sun from striking and heating up
of building surfaces. It prevents reflected light
carrying heat into a building from the ground or
other surfaces. Additionally, the shade created by
trees and the effect of grass and shrubs reduce
air temperatures adjoining the building and
provide evaporative cooling. Properly designed
roof gardens help to reduce heat loads in a
building. A study shows that the ambient air
under a tree adjacent to the wall is about 2 °C to
2.5 °C lower than that for un shaded areas.
 SITE CONDITION – MIRCOCLIMATE
•
STREET WIDTH AND ORIENTATION
The amount of direct radiation received by a building and the
street in an urban area is determined by the street width and its
orientation.
• Consider this point while designing a large residential complex
as well as at the town planning level.
• The building on one side of the street trend to cast a shadow on
the street and the opposite building, if they block the sun’s
radiation.
• Thus the width of the street can be relatively narrow or wide
depending upon whether the solar radiation is desirable or not.
• HOT AND DRY CLIMATE – Jaisalmer
– Most of the streets are narrow with building shading each
other to reduce the solar radiation
– The orientation of the street is particularly useful for
controlling air flow.
– The streets can be oriented parallel to prevailing wind
direction for free air flow.
– Smaller streets or pedestrian walkways may have number
of turns to modulate wind speed.
– For restricting or avoiding wind, the streets may be
oriented at an angle normal to the prevailing wind
direction.
 SITE CONDITION – OPEN SPACES AND BUILT FORM /
SURFACE TO VOLUME RATIO
• Open spaces and built form are responsible for the different
patterns of air flow in and around a building, affecting heat
gain and heat loss.
• Courtyards can be designed to act as heat sinks. If it is
covered by grass and other vegetation, it would provide a
cooler environment. Water sprayed on the courtyards
would cause cooling effect.
• The air in open spaces shaded by surrounding buildings
would be cooler and can be used to facilitate proper
ventilation and promote heat loss through building
envelope. Built forms can be such that the buildings cause
mutual shading and thus reduce heat gain.
• For ensuring unobstructed air flow, taller structures can be
planned towards the rear side of a building complex
 SITE CONDITION – SURFACE TO VOLUME RATIO
The volume of space inside a building that needs to be heated or
cooled and its relationship with the area of the envelope enclosing the
volume affects the thermal performance of the building. This
parameter, known as the S/V (surface-to-volume) ratio, is determined
by the building form. For any given building volume, the more compact
the shape, the less wasteful it is in gaining/losing heat.
Hence, in hot, dry, regions and cold climates, buildings are compact in
form with a low S/V ratio to reduce heat gain and losses respectively.
Also, the building form determines the airflow pattern around the
building, directly affecting its ventilation. The depth of a building also
determines the requirements for artificial lighting - more the depth,
higher the need for artificial lighting.
ORIENTATION
• Orientation refers to the location of a building with respect to the
cardinal directions, (i.e.) North-South and East-West. Building
orientation is an important parameter of design.
• In Cold climates, building needs to be orientated such that solar
radiation is admitted to the maximum possible, while reverse is
true for hot regions. For a cold climate, an orientation slightly east
of south is favored (especially 15° east of south), as this exposes
the unit to more morning than afternoon sun and enables the
house to begin to heat during the day.
• Similarly winds can be desirable or unwanted, depending on the
climate sometimes a compromise is required between these two
orientations With careful design, shading and deflecting devices
can be incorporated to exclude the sun or redirect it into the
building, just as wind can be diverted or directed to the extent
desired.
• Orientation / South Facing Windows
• Passive solar houses typically have windows on the
southern side of the building.
• Based on the movements of the sun, passive solar buildings
typically have windows (glazing) on the southern facing
side of the building in order to absorb the sun’s heat
energy to warm a building during the winter. In order to
stay cool in the summer, passive solar houses rely on a
system of shading (or an overhang) to keep the building
cool.
• Simply by building in this way, a house can reduce its
heating and cooling costs by 85%.
• *In the northern hemisphere, in order to face the sun and
obtain maximum solar gain, the windows would face the
south. In the southern hemisphere, however, it is opposite,
with the windows facing the north in order to maximize
solar gain.
The northern hemisphere is highlighted in yellow.
The southern hemisphere is white.
PLAN FORM AND BUILDING ENVELOPE
 The plan form of the building affects the amount of solar radiation received by the
building and the air flow around it. Therefore it plays an important role in ventilation
and heat loss or gain.
 Wind when obstructed by a building creates pressure differences, i.e. positive
pressure on windward side and negative pressure on the leeward side.
 Consequently, a new airflow pattern is established around the building. Appropriate
openings connecting high to low pressure areas provide effective ventilation.
 BUILDING ENVELOPE
• The building envelope and its
components are key determinants
of the amount of heat gain and
loss and wind that enters inside.
• The primary elements affecting
the performance of a building
envelope are
(a) Materials and
construction techniques,
(b) Roof,
(c) Walls,
(d) Fenestration and
shading, and
(e) Finishes.
• The filler slab is a mechanism to replace the concrete in the
tension zone. The filler material, thus, is not a structural part of
the slab. By reducing the quantity and weight of material, the roof
become less expensive, yet retains the strength of the
conventional slab.
• The air pocket formed by the contours of the tiles makes an
excellent thermal insulation layer. The design integrity of a filler
slab involves careful planning taking into account the negative
zones and reinforcement areas.
ROOF
• The roof receives significant solar radiation and plays an
important role in heat gain/losses, day lighting, and
ventilation. Depending on the climatic needs proper roof
treatment is very essential. In a hot region, the roof
should have enough insulating properties to minimize
heat gains.
• A cover of deciduous plants or creepers can be provided.
Evaporation from leaf surfaces will keep the rooms cool.
• The entire roof surface can be covered with inverted
earthen pots. It is also an insulating cover of still air over
the roof.
• The upper surface of the canvas should be painted white
to minimize the radiation absorbed by the canvas and
consequent conductive heat gain through it.
Geotextiles are permeable fabrics which, when
used in association with soil, have the ability to
separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain.
 BUILDING ENVELOPE – ROOF & WALL
• Effective roof insulation can be provided by using
vermiculite concrete. (lightweight and
insulating.)This has been used in the RETREAT
building at Gual Pahari (near New Delhi) and has
reduced roof conduction by 60%.
• The roof can also be used advantageously for
effective ventilation and day lighting by
incorporating vents and skylights. This has been
demonstrated effectively in the recently
constructed office building of the WBREDA (West
Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency) at
Calcutta
• A massive roof is of reinforced cement concrete
tends to delay the transmission of heat into the
interior when compared to lighter roofs such as
asbestos cement sheet roofing.
• A doubly pitched or curved roof provides a larger
surface area for heat loss compared to a flat roof.
Thus the shape as well as the material both have
an effect on the performance of the roof.
double pitched roof
Lattice work for shading
Effective roof insulation can be provided
by using vermiculite concrete.
effective ventilation and day lighting by
incorporating vents and skylights.
• WALL
 Walls constitute a major part of the building envelope
and receive a large amount of direct radiation.
Depending on whether the need is for heating or
cooling, variation in the thickness and material of the
wall can be decided on.
 It is estimated that more than 25% of the heat gain
occurs due to conduction by walls in the warmer
regions of India
 Control of heat gain through walls must be an
important consideration for reducing the cooling loads.
 In the case of an air conditioned building a wall type
with low U value can reduce the cooling load by upto
4-6 times as compared to a concrete block wall
 BUILDING ENVELOPE – FENESTRATION
• The pattern and configuration of openings such as window forms an important
aspect of climatic design.
• These are provided for the purpose of heat gain, day lighting and ventilation.
• Appropriate design of openings and shading devices help to keep out sun and wind
or allow them in the buildings
• Proper location, sizing, and detailing of windows and shading form an important
part of bioclimatic design as they help to keep the sun and wind out of a building or
allow them when needed.
• Size, shape and orientation of openings moderate air velocity and flow in the
room; a small inlet and large outlet increase velocity and distribution of airflow
through the room.
• House should be positioned on the site that takes the advantage of prevailing
winds. The prevailing wind direction is from the south/ south-east during
summer.
• Ventilation lets in the fresh air and exhausts hot room air, resulting in cooling. An
indoor air speed of 1.5 – 2 m/s can cause comfort in warm and humid regions
o
where the outdoor maximum air temperature does not exceed 28 – 32 C.
 BUILDING ENVELOPE – FENESTRATION
• Fenestrations having 15 to 20% of floor area are found adequate for both
ventilation and daylighting in hot and dry, and hot and humid regions.
• Natural light is also admitted into a building through glazed openings.
• Fenestration design is primarily governed by requirements of heat gain and loss,
ventilation and daylighting.
• The important components of a window that govern these are the glazing systems
and shading devices.
GLAZING SYSTEMS
 Glass, films, and coatings
 Window with one or two layers of glazing allowed roughly 75-85% of the solar
energy to enter a building.
• Internal shading devices such as curtains or blinds could reflect back some of that
energy outside the building.
• Windows admit direct solar radiation and hence promote heat gain. This is
desirable in cold climates, but is critical in overheated climates. The window size
should be kept minimum in hot and dry regions.
 BUILDING ENVELOPE – FENESTRATION –
SHADING DEVICES
• Heat gain through windows is determined by the overall heat
loss coefficient U-value (W/m2K) and the solar energy gain
factor, and is much higher as compared to that through solid
wall. Shading devices for windows and walls thus moderate
heat gains into the building. In a low-rise residential building
in Ahmedabad (hot and dry climate), shading a window by a
horizontal 0.76 m deep chhaja can reduce the maximum
room temperature by up to 4.6 °C (from 47.7 to 43.1 °C).
Shading devices are of various types:
1. Moveable opaque (roller blind, curtains, etc): These
can be highly effective in reducing solar gains
but eliminate view and impede air movement.
2. Louvers: May be adjustable or fixed. These affect view
and air movement to some degree.
3. Fixed overhangs.
roller blinds
Louvers
Moveable blinds or curtains
• Block the transmission of solar radiation through
glazed windows, especially on the east and west walls
• In hot and dry climates, when ambient air is hotter
than room air, they help to reduce convective heat gain
(through air).
• In warm, humid climates, where airflow is desirable,
they impede ventilation – disadvantage.
Solar fin is a fixed or controllable external solar shading system
One valentine place – London , UK
 BUILDING ENVELOPE – FENESTRATION –
Overhangs and louvers
SHADING DEVICES
• Block that part of the sky through which the sun
passes.
• Overhangs on south-oriented windows provide
effective shading from the high-altitude sun.
• An extended roof shades the entire north or south
wall from the noon sun.
• East and west openings need much bigger
overhangs, which may not be possible and can be
achieved by porticos, or verandas, on these sides
or by specially designed louvers to suit the building
requirements.
Finishes
• The external finish of a surface determines the
amount of heat absorbed or reflected by it. For
example, a smooth and light color surface reflects
more light and heat in comparison to a dark color
surface. Lighter color surfaces have higher
emissivity and should be ideally used for warm
climate.
 ADVANCED PASSIVE COOLING TECHNIQUES
• Passive cooling systems rely on natural heat-sinks to remove heat
from the building. They derive cooling directly from evaporation,
convection and radiation without using any intermediate electrical
devices. The applicability of each system depends on the climatic
conditions.
– shading by adjoining building
– orientation of building
– landscaping
– window shading devices
– surface finishes
• Reduction of heat transmission in the building by
– thermal insulation
– air cavities
Flashing – components
used to weather proof
 ADVANCED PASSIVE COOLING TECHNIQUES
VENTILATION
• Outdoor breezes create air movement through the house interior
by the ‘push-pull’ effect of positive air pressure on the windward
side and negative pressure (suction) on the leeward side. Good
natural ventilation requires locating openings in opposite pressure
zones. Also, designers often choose to enhance natural ventilation
using tall spaces called stacks in buildings. With openings near the
top of stacks, warm air can escape whereas cooler air enters the
building from openings near the ground. Ventilation by creating
stacks has been effectively used in the WBREDA (West Bengal
Renewable Energy Development Agency) office building in Calcutta.
 ADVANCED PASSIVE COOLING TECHNIQUES

Air vent
• A typical vent is a cut-out in the apex of a domed or cylindrical roof.
The openings in the protective cap over the vent direct wind loss
across it. When air flows over a curved surface, its velocity increases,
resulting in lowering of the pressure at the apex of the curved roof.
The hot air under the roof flows out through the vent. Air vents are
usually placed over living rooms, often with a pool of water directly
under the vent, to cool the air which is moving up by evaporation.
The special form of domes restricts use to the top floor only.
 ADVANCED PASSIVE COOLING TECHNIQUES
• Wind tower
• In a wind tower, the hot ambient air enters the tower through the
openings in the tower, gets cooled, and thus becomes heavier and sinks
down. The inlet and outlet of rooms induce cool air movement. In the
presence of wind, air is cooled more effectively and flows faster down the
tower and into the living area. After a whole day of air exchanges, the
tower becomes warm in the evenings. During the night, cooler ambient air
comes in contact with the bottom of the tower through the rooms. The
tower walls absorb heat during the daytime and release it at night,
warming the cool night air in the tower. Warm air moves up, creating an
upward draft, and draws cool night air through the doors and windows
into the building. The system works effectively in hot and dry climates
where diurnal variations are high. A wind tower works well for individual
units not for multi-storeyed apartments. In dense urban areas, the wind
tower has to be long enough to be able to catch enough air. Also
protection from driving rain is difficult.
ADVANCED PASSIVE COOLING TECHNIQUES
• Courtyard effects
• Due to incident solar radiation in a courtyard, the air gets
warmer and rises. Cool air from the ground level flows through
the louvered openings of rooms surrounding a courtyard, thus
producing air flow. At night, the warm roof surfaces get cooled
by convection and radiation. If the roof surfaces are sloped
towards the internal courtyard, the cooled air sinks into the
court and enters the living space through low-level openings,
gets warmed up, and leaves through higher-level openings.
However, care should be taken that the courtyard does not
receive intense solar radiation, which would lead to conduction
and radiation heat gains into the building.
EARTH AIR TUNNELS
• Daily and annual temperature fluctuations decrease with the increase in depth below the
ground surface. At a depth of about 4 m below ground, the temperature inside the earth
remains nearly constant round the year and is nearly equal to the annual average
temperature of the place. A tunnel in the form of a pipe or otherwise embedded at a depth
of about 4 m below the ground, will acquire the same temperature as the surrounding earth
at its surface and therefore the ambient air ventilated though this tunnel will get cooled in
summer and warmed in winter and this air can be used for cooling in summer and heating
in winter. Earth air tunnel has been used in the composite climate of Gurgaon in the
RETREAT building. The living quarters (the south block of the RETREAT) are maintained at
comfortable temperatures (approximately between 20 °C and 30 °C) round the year by the
earth air tunnel system. However, the cooler air underground needs to be circulated in the
living space. Each room in the South Block has a ‘solar chimney’; warm air rises and
escapes through the chimney, which creates an air current for the cooler air from the
underground tunnels to replace the warm air. Two blowers installed in the tunnels speed up
the process. The same mechanism supplies warm air from the tunnel during winter
Evaporative cooling
• Evaporative cooling lowers indoor air temperature by
evaporating water. It is effective in hot-dry climate where
the atmospheric humidity is low. In evaporative cooling,
the sensible heat of air is used to evaporate water, thereby
cooling the air, which in turn cools the living space of the
building. Increase in contact between water and air
increases rate of evaporation. The presence of a water
body such as a pond, lake, sea etc. near the building or a
fountain in a courtyard can provide a cooling effect.
• Passive downdraught cooling
• It is a evaporative cooling that has been used for many centuries in
parts of the Middle East, notably Iran and Turkey. In this system, wind
catchers guide outside air over water-filled pots, inducing
evaporation and causing a significant drop in temperature before
the air enters the interior. Such wind catchers become primary
elements of the architectural form also. Passive downdraught
evaporative cooling is particularly effective in hot dry climates. It has
been used to effectively cool the Torrent Research Centre in
Ahmedabad.