SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

Strategies wrt windows in order to get maximum daylight and

ventilation

Submitted to:

Ar. Mahnoor Asim

Submitted by:
Rafia Waheed
Roll#31651052
Section B
Date: 21st Feb, 2020

Department of Architecture

Lahore College for Women University

 Abstract

Using sustainable architecture design strategies specifically daylighting could reduce lighting
energy that have an indirect impact on the HVAC energy requirements especially in cooling-
dominated buildings in hot climate. As a result of the interactions between lighting and HVAC,
the aims of this paper were to reduce the energy consumption by having the balance between
beneficial natural light and excessive solar heat and therefore reducing the energy consumption
and to have an easy guideline for the architecture to help in increasing the sustainable building
designs in Egypt. This paper utilized simulation techniques for identifying the most efficient
glazing with a good WWR and a correct daylight autonomy by dominating the thermal heat gain
and reducing cooling load yet as energy consumption.
 Table of Contents
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 5
2 LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................... 8
2.1 window-to-wall ratio (WWR) .......................................................................................... 8
2.2 daylighting...................................................................................................................... 10
2.2.1 Building Form and Skin .......................................................................................... 10
2.2.2 Windows ................................................................................................................. 10
2.2.3 Strategies Daylighting ............................................................................................. 12
2.3 natural ventilation ........................................................................................................... 12
2.3.1 Use of natural ventilation ........................................................................................ 12
2.3.2 Single-sided ventilation .......................................................................................... 13
2.3.3 Cross ventilation ..................................................................................................... 13
2.3.4 Stack ventilation...................................................................................................... 13
3 CASE STUDY ...................................................................................................................... 14
3.1 Case Study Location....................................................................................................... 14
3.2 Practice of Sustainability in Building............................................................................. 14
3.3 easterly and westerly facades ......................................................................................... 15
3.4 stack ventilation.............................................................................................................. 15
3.5 Evaporative cooling........................................................................................................ 15
4 CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................... 16
5 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 17
1 INTRODUCTION

The architectural design of a building has a tremendous effect on the heating, cooling and lighting
of a building. In fact, when an architect starts to design the appearance of a building, he/ she is
simultaneously starting the design of the heating, cooling and lighting. A considerable reduction
in artificial lighting and energy consumption can be achieved by maximizing the use of natural
daylighting. Daylighting is the general practice of having vertical windows and openings in a wall
exposed to incoming solar radiation to receive natural light inside the room during the day time.
Daylighting is the use of light from the sun and sky to complement or replace electric light. With
proper window shapes, size (window to wall ratio) and glazing types, daylight can also
significantly reduce the need for artificial lighting. Integration of daylighting strategies with
electrical lighting controls can provide automatic adjustments to provide minimum light levels
with minimum electricity use. Windows shape, size (window to wall ratio) and glazing types
should be thought of as a part of fenestration system style for workplace buildings, in order to
balance daylighting requirements versus the need to reduce solar gains.
Utilization of daylight in buildings might lead to reduction in electricity consumption for lighting
however additionally in high cooling demand if excessive star gains square measure admitted
within the operating space. Appropriate fenestration and lighting controls are also used to modulate
daylight admittance and to reduce electric lighting, while meeting the occupants’ lighting quality
and quantity requirements.
But for a country, where development is an imperative, environmental consequences can be
substantial as it will place serious constraints on natural resources such as land, water, minerals,
and fossil fuels, driving up energy and commodity prices. The extent to which its economy will
“grow green” will depend on its ability to reduce the quantity of resources required over time to
support economic growth that leads to enhancement of social equity and balance between
productions where green growth could play an important role in balancing these priorities. In the
face of pressing economic and environmental challenges, national and international efforts to
promote green technology as a new source of growth have been intensifying in recent years.
Building on this momentum can help to accelerate progress towards sustainable development; can
achieve more sustainable use of natural resources, efficiencies in the use of energy, and valuation
of ecosystem services. Today, buildings worldwide account for up to 40% of total end-use energy.
Building heating and cooling are the most energy-intensive activities, followed by electricity use
for lighting and appliances (Harvey, 2009). The increasing demand for residential and commercial
building spaces in developing countries will further push up energy consumption from building.
Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the use of natural light and ventilation in
residential building.
 PROBLEM STATEMENT

CO2 emissions from buildings (including through the use of electricity) could increase from 8.6
billion tons in 2004 to 15.6 in 2030 under a high growth scenario. The need and solution of today’s
scenario is green technology like using natural light and ventilation, which is an environmentally
friendly technology developed and used in a way that protects the environment and conserves
natural resources.
 OBJECTIVE
The objectives are as follows:
1. Use of Natural Light & Ventilation in Building.
2. To reduce the rate of growth of energy consumption while enhancing economic
development.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Windows can substantially alter the amount of purchased energy required to maintain comfort.
Well-designed, they can actually provide a net energy gain; poorly designed, they can be an
enormous energy burden. This report provides design strategies to make windows energy
conserving. Each strategy is directed at improving one or more of the six energy functions of
windows, which are: providing winter solar heat, providing year-round daylighting, rejecting
summer solar heat, providing insulation and air tightness during periods of heating or air
conditioning, and providing natural ventilation during temperate weather.
In order to facilitate successful use of design strategies, this report includes a cursory explanation
of the physical phenomena responsible for each stategy's performance. This is followed by a list
summarizing the energy, as well as non-energy, advantages and disadvantages of each strategy.
Then, since windows and their accessories can drastically affect the quality of the building exterior,
as well as the character of the building exterior, aesthetics are discussed. Brief price inquiries are
reported to provide estimates of first costs. Installation was not included in most cost figures
because of the wide variation installation situations introduce. More precise dollar figures should
be obtained from local distributors before life-cycle costing is calculated for an actual building.
Finally, the references used in writing and illustrating each strategy, and sources for further
information, are listed. Selection of individual strategies should be based on the importance of
each of the window's energy functions, considering the local climate, the time of day and/or
seasons the building is most used, and the environmental requirements of the activities being
housed. The strategy/ function cross-reference table following the introduction is provided to help
select strategies addressing the energy functions determined to be most important for a specific
project. Final evaluation requires recalculation of the total window system, since the performance
of strategies in combination may differ from the sum of each individual's performance.

2.1 WINDOW-TO-WALL RATIO (WWR)

Calculate the planned window-to-wall ratio (WWR) for a typical office space or bay.
Net glazing area (window area minus mullions and framing, or ~80% of rough opening) divided
by gross exterior wall area (e.g., multiply width of the bay by floor-to-ceiling height) equals
window-to-wall ratio (WWR).
______________ / ____________________ = __________
net glazing area gross interior wall area WWR
Step 2: Make a preliminary glazing selection and note the visible transmittance (VT).
Step 3: Estimate the obstruction factor (OF).
Visualize a typical task location, 10 feet (3.3 meters, m) in from a window and centered on the
window. What is the view through the predicted window from desk height? Pick a location that
represents an average view for the building. Sketch the window elevation and shade in
anticipated objects seen from this viewpoint; this can include objects such as trees that might be
near to the window or buildings that might be a little further away but still impede the view of
the sky. Select the obstruction factor, as shown

Step 4: Calculate the daylight feasibility factor.

Window-to-wall ratio multiplied by visible transmittance multiplied by obstruction factor equals
feasibility factor. ______ x ______ x ______ = ________________
WWR VT OF Feasibility Factor
If the Feasibility Factor is ≥ 0.25, then daylighting has the potential for significant energy
savings for this building zone.
If the Feasibility Factor is < 0.25, then consider removing obstructions, increasing window area,
or increasing VT. If these modifications are not possible, it is unlikely that daylighting will be a
cost-effective energy-saving strategy. However, windows can still be designed to provide views
and to control glare. Use these guidelines for glarereducing ideas.
2.2 DAYLIGHTING

2.2.1 Building Form and Skin

 Increase exposure to daylight. The
higher the skin-to-volume ratio, the greater
percentage of floor space is available for
daylighting. Long and narrow footprints are
preferable to square ones, up to a limit,
although a high skin-to-volume ratio may
lead to a heating or cooling penalty.

 Shape building for self-shading.

Building form can assist cooling by
providing selfshading through wings and
other mass articulations, balconies, deep
reveals, or arcades.
Take a deep facade approach. A facade
with some depth creates a buffer zone that
can contain shading elements and other
modifiers to filter glare and block sun, as

Section drawing illustrating a deep wall section providing some self-shading. This allows easy
integration of a light shelf, creates surfaces that mitigate glare, and reduces noise 16
transmission. Sloped surfaces also help soften glare. A blind or shade can be added in the
clerestory to manage glare from a low sun angle.

 Capitalize on other building elements to integrate shading.

For example, air intakes, overhangs, louvers, fins, PV panels, and light shelves can be integrated
both structurally and visually with the exterior structural system.
 Incorporate envelope features that improve daylighting.
Deep reveals, splayed reveals (as shown in Figure 3), exterior fins, and similar characteristics of
the envelope structure improve daylight distribution and control glare. These facade projections
can also attenuate noise. Rounded edges soften light contrasts. Effective reveals are 9 to 12
inches (23 to 30 centimeters, cm) deep, at an angle of 60˚ to the window plane.

2.2.2 Windows
The challenge in providing daylight by effective use of windows is to allow adequate amounts of
daylight as deep into the space as possible, with a distribution within the space that is visually
comfortable and does not create glare. A designer can control window area, location type,
glazing properties, shading systems, ceiling parameters, and interior design features to achieve
these goals. The sections below provide some guidance on the importance of each of these
design parameters.

 The higher the window, the deeper the daylighting

zone.
The practical depth of a daylighted zone is typically 1.5 to
2 times the window head height, as shown in Figure 4.
With a reflective light shelf, this zone may be extended
further. If a corridor is beyond this zone and separated with
a partially glazed wall, it may be adequately lit with the
spill light from the room. With standard window and
ceiling heights (between 9 and 10 ft; 2.7 to 3 m), plan on
adequate daylight within 20 feet (6.1 m) from the window.
Figure 4: Typical daylight penetration rule-of-thumb 18

 Strip windows provide more uniform daylight.

The easiest way to provide adequate, even daylighting is with a
nearly continuous strip window (Figure 5). Punched windows are
acceptable, but the breaks between windows can create contrasts of
light and dark areas. This is not a problem if work areas are paired
with windows or if other glare measures, such as splayed window
openings, are taken. Figure 5: Strip windows are an easy way to
provide uniform daylighting. Punched windows should be paired
with work areas when possible.
 Large windows require more control. The larger the window, the
more important glazing selection and shading effectiveness are to control glare and solar heat
gain. Insulating Glazing Units (IGUs) with low-E coatings control winter heat loss and improve
thermal comfort. See Tools & Resources, below, for additional sizing help.

 Size the windows and select glazing at

the same time. The larger the glass area, the
lower the required visible transmittance. Use
the effective aperture (EA) approach to
make these trade-offs (see Figure 6). Select
glazing and window area to target an EA
around 0.30. See Tools & Resources, below,
for additional sizing help.
2.2.3 Strategies Daylighting
In daylighted spaces, it is critical that light colors be dominant,
especially for walls and ceilings. Window coverings should allow for
some light penetration while providing sun and glare control and
prevent unwanted solar gain. A priority should be to achieve an
appropriate balance of solar gain and capacity of mechanical cooling
systems, to ensure integrated systems efficiency. Interior design must
consider the role of interior finishes and objects as light modifiers
within a daylighted space—these factors influence daylighting
performance.
 No Shading
 Shading
 Overhangs
 Fins
 Setbacks
 Shades

2.3 NATURAL VENTILATION

A building’s natural ventilation can be based on a variety of different ventilation strategies. A
ventilation strategy shows how natural ventilation works based on the design of the building,
internal thermal loads, and the positioning of openings (typically windows).

2.3.1 Use of natural ventilation

The use of natural ventilation can be an efficient strategy for the achievement of thermal comfort
with no use of mechanical cooling. Natural ventilation performance of a building is affected by a
combination of external and internal factors. External factors are often related to external wind
velocities, direction of the external winds, presence of external barriers like vegetation, external
walls, among other factors. Several internal factors can be used to increase natural ventilation in
indoor environments, such as: openings configuration; ventilated window-sill. In this case, the
architects are free to design the way they deem proper. However, little information is available in
this regar. It was found that better natural ventilation performance could be achieved when the two
openings groups were positioned in opposite directions or perpendicular to each other. Several
previous studies have shown that natural ventilation and dispersion of contaminant concentrations
strongly depends on air inlet types.
Natural ventilation strategies are based on the imperative that the indoor climate should be healthy
and comfortable for occupants all while reducing energy consumption and saving money. In
general, there are three fundamental strategies:
2.3.2 Single-sided ventilation
The illustration shows a typical situation in an office with
single side-ventilation, i.e. a room with windows on only one
side. The example shows the room during the winter months.
The surrounding air is often cold in winter, meaning that
windows cannot be opened for longer periods. To overcome
this problem, pulse ventilation is used. Windows are opened
for short periods of time ensuring that the air in the room is
replaced quickly. Because cold air creates draughts even at
very low wind speeds, the windows are quickly closed again
after a set period of time. High wind speeds and low outdoor
temperatures further limit the amount of time that the windows
are open.

2.3.3 Cross ventilation

The illustration shows the cross ventilation strategy. Cross
ventilation is achieved using windows on both sides of the
room, creating a current of air across the room. If the windows
on both sides of the room are open, the overpressure on the
side of the building facing into the wind, and/or low pressure
on the opposite, sheltered side, will create a current of air
through the room from the exposed side to the sheltered side.
To ensure optimal airflow with as few drafts as possible, the
windows on the side of the building that is facing the wind are
not opened as much as the windows on the sheltered side.

2.3.4 Stack ventilation

The illustration shows the stack effect that arises as a consequence of temperature differences.
Warm air rises because it is less dense than cold air. When warm air rises to the roof of a building,
it creates a slight vacuum in the building's lower levels, which in turn pulls fresh air in through
windows in the ground floor. This creates a natural airflow. This physical process depends on the
(Komal Patil, May-Jun 2019)height difference between the
windows that let outdoor air in, and the windows that exhaust
'used' air out. Windows in the roof let the 'used' air escape while
the windows in the lower levels let fresh air into the building.
In the illustration, the stack effect is combined with the wind
direction. Wind direction determines which windows let air in,
and which windows exhaust air from the building. The ground
floor windows on the sheltered side are opened more than the
windows on the wind-exposed side, whereas only the windows
in the sheltered side of the roof are opened.
 3 CASE STUDY
3.1 Case Study Location
Pune also called Poona, the official name until 1978 is the second largest city in the Indian state
of Maharashtra, after Mumbai. Pune city is known on the world map because of its
scenic beauty and rich natural resources as well as its educational institutions. Akurdi is a village
in India, situated within Mawal taluka, in Pune district, in the
state of Maharashtra. The latitude and longitude of study area
Administrative Building for PCNTDA is 18°64ʹ94ʺ and 73°76
ʹ89 ʺ.

3.2 PRACTICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IN BUILDING

The case study building is located in Pimpri-Chinchwad, a
twin city of Pune. The Pimpri Chinchwad new Town
Development Authority guides and directs the development of
a sizeable part of this city. The new administrative building
for PCNTDA had of course to be iconic; however, it ought to
make a statement, though in a meaningful sense. Pune, though
classified as part of the humungous ‘warm and humid zone’
in the ECBC climate map, has a rather moderate climate,
except for the 2.5-3 months of summer. Westerly wind is
actually cool sea breeze from the Arabian Sea that travels
about 100 km inland, having climbed up the steep Western
Ghats, and losing quite a bit of its moisture reroute. It is well
known fact that when it is really warm, air movement can
provide relief and comfort. The building form was a resultant Figure 1 Evaporative cooling through Westerly
of the functional requirements put side by side with solar Wind

passive principles. This involved

orienting and locating the various
(functional components) with respect to
the sun for thermal comfort, enhancing
this by enabling cross ventilation and
maximizing daylight without ending up
with heat gain. Pune being located at
approximately 18.5 degrees north
latitude north is the most appropriate
orientation for daylight. So we have
these two narrow, about 14 metre wide
northward, (actually NNE) facing earth-
coloured blocks, that rise up starkly to
Figure 2North orientation for day light
nearly 30 metres from the ground,
staggered so that daylight is achieved and views are unhindered. The triangular spaces in plan
house lifts, staircase blocks and toilets.

3.3 EASTERLY AND WESTERLY FACADES

The narrow easterly and westerly facades are scooped
out in the wind flow direction, the resulting form
almost inviting the wind to flow in. The fenestration is
more of a textural treatment, with shading devices
designed appropriate to each orientation. The east and
west walls have large openings, shaded with
horizontal louvers to block direct radiation, but to
allow for free flow of wind across.

3.4 STACK VENTILATION

Many small but significant features are incorporated in
the case study building such as perforations in the
parapet to carry away hot air that stagnates at the Figure 3East west cross ventilation through louvered openings
and Terrace top ventilated to remove heat
surface of the roof, or stack ventilation for the toilet
blocks, that prevents odour spreading to the rest of the building.

3.5 EVAPORATIVE COOLING

Evaporative cooling is achieved for the canteen area located above the parking block, by means of
westerly wind blowing over fountains in a waterbody on the terrace garden. The
energy and comfort simulations were carried out by TERI, and they predicted that just using ceiling
fans, the building would have unsatisfactory comfort conditions for only 4% of
the annual habitable hours.

CONCLUSION
The learning outcome from the comprehensive study of Administrative Building for PCNTDA is
that the building is designed and executed to make a strong pro-environment statement by
making a model green building. Considering the almost moderate climate of the Pune city with
only four months of extreme weather in the summer, effort was made to maximize naturally
cooled spaces and minimize artificially conditioned spaces. Building orientation was important,
with maximum length of the building façade towards north and south. The maximum glazing
was provided on the north to make best use of the diffused natural light. A combination of
horizontal and vertical shading devices were used cut down direct solar gain. Light shelves for
deeper daylight penetration, evaporative cooling with the help of strategically placed water
bodies and ventilated under surface of roof to disseminate heat are few other methods adopted to
reduce energy consumption. With these initiatives, artificial conditioning is only used in 11,237
sqft of the building's carpeted area (out of a total 63,072sqft) which lead to the annual saving of
55.5 lakh per year in air conditioning.
4 CONCLUSION
In this report, the effect of window on the energy consumption of buildings has been investigated
by a daylighting and thermal analysis According to the simulation results, the optimal window
system such as type, size can be summarized as follows:
First, the window size (or WWR in the building envelope) must be utilized in one of the daylighting
simulation in the early stages of designing because of its impact on the daylight autonomy which
has huge effect on the energy saving and the thermal comfort in the buildings.
Second, good daylighting has a very huge impact on energy saving but can cause thermal problems
with more solar gain so one of the very important factors is the glazing type that can avoid glare
and reduce the heat gaining and saving more energy and the most important a comfort zone with
a proper thermal specially in office buildings.
The conditions of natural ventilation were influenced by the size of the windows, as well as by the
variation of the angle of wind incidence, which affected significant changes in the values of the
pressure coefficients and air change rates per hour. Regarding the distribution of the air flow in
the internal environment, it was observed that it was dependent on the size of the window, because
a larger opening allows the passage of air with less head loss located at the entrance, due to the
obstruction, resulting in a better utilization of the winds in the internal environment and in greater
air change rates per hour.
5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
C. Alloca, Q. C. (2003). . Design analysis of single-sided natural ventilation. .
C. F. Gao, W. L. (April, 2011.). Evaluating the influence of openings configuration on natural
ventilation performance of residential units. Hong Kong.
Komal Patil, D. L. (May-Jun 2019). Analytical Study of Natural Light and Ventilation in
Admistrative Building of PCNTDA, Pune Region. Scientific Research and Development.
Selkowitz, A. R. (October 2013). Tips for Daylighting with Windows.