CHAPTER II

This chapter contains about the different problems in the existing housing

units in Brgy. Suhi, St. Francis Subdivision, Tacloban City.

A socialized housing or resettlement areas shall be provided by the local

government unit or the National housing Authority in cooperation with the private

developers and concerned agencies with the following basic services and facilities like;

potable water, power, electricity and an adequate power distribution system, sewerage

facilities and an efficient and adequate power distribution system, and of course an

access to primary roads and transportation facilities. Whereas, St. Francis Subdivision

lacks of this basic services and facilities in achieving the standard for housing.

Therefore, the St. Francis Subdivision needed to redevelop with innovative approach

towards resiliency.

2.1 Existing Housing Units in Brgy. Suhi, St Francis Subdivision, Tacloban City.

a. Vacant unit

Some of the units are still vacant due to its unfinished construction and unsettled

installation of finishes like doorknobs, switches, glasses for windows, and even to their
plumbing fixtures like faucet and floordrain. This image shows also some defects of each

installation inside the vacant housing unit. Additionally, the walls are only made up of

hard flex so when it comes to natural disaster like super typhoon and earthquakes the

existing subdivision will cannot surpass those calamities.

b. The existing toilet and bath in housing unit

Toilet and Bath is considered as one of the most necessary requirement in

residential not only to this, but to also to the public areas like recreational park and in the

commercial establishments. Toilet and bath must comfort the users form it functions and

required standard space. This toilet and bath (T&B) was not completely done it’s

because of its disconnection of plumbing fixtures to the waste line. Due to unwell

installation of the jamb to the wall it effects the joining between jamb and the wall (hard

flex) .
 c. The existing kitchen sink in the vacant unit.

Mostly, in the existing units lacking of plumbing fixtures, one of this was faucet.

Additionally the kitchen sink must be made of aluminum so that it cannot get rusted

already, because in the St. Francis subdivision some of their units, the kitchen sink are

getting punctured even it is not yet used maybe because of rain drops from the roof

since some of them already had a hole maybe due to the installation.

d. Frontages of existing vacant unit

 As the image shows above, the standard eaves line of a residential was not

followed, and results of easy infiltrate of rainwater inside the unit and affect those

existing finishes like kitchen sink, switches, etc. Additionally, the installation of jalousie

was not really advisable due to its weak foundation at the center.

e. The existing roads in Brgy. Suhi, St. Francis Subdivision

Brgy. Suhi, St. Francis Subdivision had their own water harvester, some of their

roof gather rainwater then directed to their water tank. St. Francis Subdivision is not

really restricted when it comes to their setbacks from their frontages, and there’s no

limitation of constructing their extension on their front yards at the same time to their

backyards. Therefore, they got their own way to construct and cause of disorderly

arrangement of design to the subdivision.

 f. Main entrance at St. Francis Subdivision

St. Francis Subdivision was not really secured, though they had small spaces for

securities but not for permanent and each of it was situated in long distance.

g. Occupied unit in St. Francis Subdivision

As the time goes by, the partitions are getting damaged due to its decrepitude,

the skimcoat didn’t carry the joining of different boards. And for housing actually hard

flex is not applicable for outside walling its because it cannot surpass the moist

additionally, it is not fire resistant compare to concrete hollow blocks (CHB).

 h. Extension for service area in housing unit

This open space is already for the two units, wherein the backyards of each unit

having no space for canal at the center for the future extension of each unit. With those

future issues can be a major problems by the residences since the rainwater of each

units will not be controlled.

i. Occupied unit (extension and T&B)

 Those housing units that was occupied they already construct their backyards for

the extension of their units and the same time they also extend vertically wherein their

extension had second floor.

j. Vacant lot in St. Francis Subdivision

There’s still vacant lot in St. Francis subdivision, but yet don’t have a parking lots.

Even socialized housing must have a parking lot of ____ per units. The subdivision also

don’t have a recreational park that must be have 20 meters is the maximum distance

from the housing units and shall not minimum of 100 sq. m.
 SOLUTIONS

DESIGN STRATEGIES

This chapter will present some solutions on how to develop the St. Francis

Subdivisions towards resiliency at the same time to be more effective housing for the

occupants of Brgy. Suhi. Moreover, this study was based from the international

guidelines wherein it will be applicable and useful also here in the Philippines.

To be comfortable, buildings in all Australian climates require some form of

cooling at some time of the year. There are many ways that can design or modify

dwelling to achieve comfort through passive (non-mechanical) cooling, as well as hybrid

approaches which utilize mechanical cooling systems.

The most appropriate passive cooling strategies for the dwellings including

orientation, ventilation, windows, shading, insulation and thermal mass are determined

by climate, so first identify the climate zone by reading Design for climate. Then it can

apply more detailed advice here and in Passive solar heating.

This study applies to most types of residential housing, and some of this

problems can be solved by design strategies like; verandas, underfloor ventilation and

shady plantings. However, heat waves can affect large regions at the same time,

causing combined household demand for cooling energy to ‘peak’ for a few days or

weeks each year due to increased use of air conditioning or heat pumps for cooling

during these periods. However, with careful design for passive cooling we may delay or

eliminate this peak demand. Therefore, this study offers some alternative strategies

wherein those mechanical utilities are not belong to the choices in making natural and

artificial cooling systems to their surroundings. Whereas, passive cooling is the least

expensive means of cooling a home in both financial and environmental terms.

 To be effective, passive cooling needs to cool both the building and the people in

it.

 Evaporation of perspiration is the most effective physiological cooling process. It

requires air movement and moderate to low humidity (less than 60%).

 Radiant heat loss is also important, both physiologically and psychologically. It

involves direct radiation to cooler surfaces.

Cooling buildings

The efficiency of the building envelope can be maximized in a number of ways to

minimize heat gain:

 shading windows, walls and roofs from direct solar radiation

 using lighter colored roofs to reflect heat

 using insulation and buffer zones to minimize conducted and radiated heat gains

 Making selective or limited use of thermal mass to avoid storing daytime heat

gains.

 To maximize heat loss, use the following natural sources of cooling:

 air movement

 cooling breezes

 evaporation

 earth coupling

 Reflection of radiation.
Air movement

Air movement is the most important element of passive cooling. It cools people

by increasing evaporation and requires both breeze capture and fans for back-up in still

conditions. It also cools buildings by carrying heat out of the building as warmed air and

replacing it with cooler external air. Moving air also carries heat to mechanical cooling

systems where it is removed by heat pumps and recirculated. This requires well-

designed openings (windows, doors and vents) and unrestricted breeze paths.

Cool breezes

Where the climate provides cooling breezes, maximizing their flow through a

home when cooling is required is an essential component of passive design. Unlike cool

night air, these breezes tend to occur in the late afternoon or early evening when cooling

requirements usually peak.

a. Open plan layout

Evaporative cooling

As water evaporates it draws large amounts of heat from surrounding air.

Evaporation is therefore an effective passive cooling method, although it works best

when relative humidity is lower (70% or less during hottest periods) as the air has a

greater capacity to take up water vapor.

Earth coupling

Earth coupling of thermal mass protected from external temperature extremes

(e.g. floor slabs) can substantially lower temperatures by absorbing heat as it enters the

building or as it is generated by household activities.

b. Earth coupling

Earth coupling utilises cooler ground temperatures.

Convective air movement

The rule of convection: “warm air rises and cool air falls.”

Stack ventilation, or convective air movement, relies on the increased buoyancy

of warm air which rises to escape the building through high level outlets, drawing in

lower level cool night air or cooler daytime air from shaded external areas (south) or

evaporative cooling ponds and fountains.

c. passive cooling layout

Convection causes warm air to rise, drawing in cool air.

Convective air movement improves cross-ventilation and overcomes many of the

limitations of unreliable cooling breezes. Even when there is no breeze, convection

allows heat to leave a building via clerestory windows, roof ventilators and vented ridges,

eaves, gables and ceilings.

Passive cooling design principles

To achieve thermal comfort in cooling applications, building envelopes are

designed to minimize daytime heat gain, maximize night-time heat loss, and encourage

cool breeze access when available. Considerations include:

1. designing the floor plan and building form to respond to local climate and site

2. using and positioning thermal mass carefully to store coolness, not unwanted

heat

3. choosing climate appropriate windows and glazing

4. positioning windows and openings to enhance air movement and cross

ventilation

5. shading windows, solar exposed walls and roofs where possible

6. installing and correctly positioning appropriate combinations of both reflective

and bulk insulation

7. Using roof spaces and outdoor living areas as buffer zones to limit heat gain.

Envelope design — floor plan and building form

Envelope design is the integrated design of building form and materials as a total

system to achieve optimum comfort and energy savings. Heat enters and leaves a home

through the roof, walls, windows and floor, collectively referred to as the building

envelope. The internal layout; walls, doors and room arrangements also affects heat

distribution within a home.

 Good design of the envelope and internal layout responds to climate and site

conditions to optimize the thermal performance. It can lower operating costs, improve

comfort and lifestyle and minimize environmental impact.

Windows and shading

Windows and shading are the most critical elements in passive cooling. They are

the main source of heat gain, via direct radiation and conduction, and of cooling, via

cross, stack and fan-drawn ventilation, cool breeze access and night purging (see

Glazing; Shading).

Low sun angles through east and west-facing windows increase heat gain, while

north-facing windows (south in tropics) transmit less heat in summer because the higher

angles of incidence reflect more radiation.

d. relationship between sun angle and heat gain

Air movement and ventilation

Design to maximize beneficial cooling breezes by providing multiple flow paths

and minimizing potential barriers; single depth rooms are ideal in warmer climates.

Because breezes come from many directions and can be deflected or diverted,
orientation to breeze direction is less important than the actual design of windows and

openings to collect and direct breezes within and through the home.

e. Window design

Wind doesn’t blow through a building, it is sucked towards areas of lower air

pressure. Openings near the center of the high pressure zone are more effective

because pressure is highest near the center of the windward wall and diminishes toward

the edges as the wind finds other ways to move around the building.

f. airflow pattern

The design of openings to direct airflow inside the home is a critical but much

overlooked design component of passive cooling. Size, type, external shading and
horizontal/vertical position of any openings (doors and windows) is critical as shown in

the diagrams below.

g. airflow pattern

Design and locate planting, fences and outbuildings to funnel breezes into and

through the building, filter stronger winds and exclude adverse hot or cold winds.

h. Plant trees and shrubs to funnel breezes.

 i. Plant trees and shrubs to funnel breezes.

Insulation

Insulation is critical to passive cooling — particularly to the roof and floor.

Windows are often left open to take advantage of natural cooling and walls are easily

shaded; roofs, however, are difficult to shade, and floors are a source of constant heat

gain through conduction and convection, with only limited cooling contribution to offset it.

Insulation levels and installation details for each climate zone are provided in

Insulation and Insulation installation. Pay careful attention to up and down insulation

values and choose appropriately for purpose and location.

Roof space

Well-ventilated roof spaces (and other non-habitable spaces) play a critical role in

passive cooling by providing a buffer zone between internal and external spaces in the

most difficult area to shade, the roof.

 Well-ventilated roof spaces form a buffer between internal and external areas.

Ventilators can reduce the temperature differential (see Passive heating) across

ceiling insulation, increasing its effectiveness by as much as 100%. The use of foil

insulation and light colored roofing limits radiant heat flow into the roof space.

Use careful detailing to prevent condensation from saturating the ceiling and

insulation. Dew-points form where humid air comes into contact with a cooler surface,

e.g. the underside of roof sparking or reflective foil insulation cooled by radiation to a

clear night sky (see Sealing your home).

 Employ well-designed can help to lessen the cost of using energy and repair of

materials at the same time it lessen the negative effect to the environment. Specifically,

in St Francis Subdivision since there’s no thorough study and panning therefore it

caused some issues and problems even this subdivision is just a newly develop by the

government.

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