Topic: WEATHER & CLIMATE CONDITION

What is tropical climate?

•climate in the tropical region

•In the Köppen climate classification it is a non-arid climate in

which all twelve months have mean temperatures of at least
18 °C (64 °F).

•tropical temperature remains relatively constant throughout

the year and seasonal variations are dominated by
precipitation.
TROPICAL CLIMATE
TROPICAL CLIMATE

Tropical rainforest climate (Af) :

•All twelve months have average precipitation of at least 60 mm (2.4 in).
•These climates usually occur within 5–10° latitude of the equator.
•In some eastern-coast areas, they may extend to as much as 25° away from the equator.

•Examples:
• Cebu, Philippines
• Kuching, Malaysia
• Singapore
• Apia, Samoa
• Paramaribo, Suriname
• Mbandaka, DR Congo
TROPICAL CLIMATE

Tropical monsoon climate (Am):

•This type of climate, most common in south and Central America, results from the
monsoon winds which change direction according to the seasons.
•This climate has a driest month with rainfall less than 60 mm, but more than (100 −
[total annual precipitation {mm}/25]).

Examples:

Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Chittagong, Bangladesh
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Macapá, Brazil
Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil
TROPICAL CLIMATE

Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate (Aw):

•These climates generally have a pronounced dry season, with the driest month
having precipitation less than 60 mm and also less than (100 − [total annual
precipitation {mm}/25]).

Examples:
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Jakarta, Indonesia
Cartagena, Colombia
Medellín, Colombia
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Jijoca de Jericoacora, Ceará, Brazil
Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico
Intertropical Convergence Zone

•Because of the effect of sun angle on climate most areas within the tropics are hot
year-round, with diurnal variations in temperature exceeding seasonal variations.

•The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), known by sailors as the

doldrums, is the area encircling the earth near the equator where the northeast
and southeast trade winds come together.
 Intertropical Convergence Zone

The ITCZ moves farther away from the equator during the Northern summer than the
Southern one due to the North-heavy arrangement of the continents.
Topic: CLIMATE IN THE PHILIPPINES
CLIMATE IN THE PHILIPPINES

•Climate of the Philippines is either tropical rainforest, tropical savanna tropical monsoon,
or humid subtropical (in higher-altitude areas).

•characterized by relatively high temperature, oppressive humidity and plenty of rainfall.

•There are two seasons in the country, the wet season and the dry season.

•Based on temperature, the seven warmest months of the year are from March to October.

•the winter monsoon brings cooler air from November to February.

•May is the warmest month, and January, the coolest.

•Weather in the Philippines is monitored and managed by the Philippine Atmospheric,

Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
Evening
Thunderstorms,
bringing rain over the
Philippines is
common from March
to October.
CLIMATE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Rainfall

•The summer monsoon brings heavy rains to most of the archipelago from May to October.

•Annual average rainfall ranges from as much as 5,000 mm (196.9 in) in the mountainous
east coast section of the country, to less than 1,000 mm (39.4 in) in some of the sheltered
valleys.

•Monsoon rains, although hard and drenching, are not normally associated with high winds
and waves.

•Rainfall usually happen mostly from the month of March to October.

•The wettest known tropical cyclone to impact the archipelago was the July 1911 cyclone,
which dropped over 1,168 mm (46.0 in) of rainfall within a 24-hour period in Baguio City.
Typhoon YOLANDA,
a powerful, unusual,
late season typhoon
which hit the
Philippines in
November 2013
CLIMATE IN THE PHILIPPINES

TYPHOONS

•The Philippines sit astride the typhoon belt, and the country suffers an annual onslaught of
dangerous storms from July through October.

•Bagyó is the local term to any tropical cyclone in the Philippine Islands.

•From the statistics gathered by PAGASA from 1948 to 2004, around an average of 20
storms and/or typhoons per year enter the PAR (Philippine Area of Responsibility)

•In 1993, a record 19 typhoons made landfall in the country making it the most in one year.

•The wettest known tropical cyclone to impact the archipelago was the July 1911 cyclone,
which dropped over 1,168 mm (46.0 in) of rainfall within a 24-hour period in Baguio City.
CLIMATE IN THE PHILIPPINES

TYPHOONS

•Once a tropical cyclone enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility, regardless of strength,
PAGASA gives it a local name.

Tropical Depressions
- have maximum sustained winds of between 55 km per hour and 64 km per hour
near its center.

Tropical Storms have maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour and 119 km per hour.

Typhoons achieve maximum sustained winds of 120 km per hour to 185 km per hour.

•The deadliest typhoon to impact the Philippines was Typhoon Yolanda in November 8, 2013,
in which 6, 800 lives were lost from its storm surges and powerful winds. Over 1,000 went
missing and nearly 20,000 were injured.
CLIMATE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Humidity

•A high amount of moisture or vapor in the air makes hot temperatures feel hotter.

•Quantity of moisture is due to different factors - the extraordinary evaporation from the seas
that surrounds the country on all sides;

•different prevailing winds in the different seasons of the year;

•abundant rains so common in a tropical country.

CLIMATE IN THE PHILIPPINES

SEASONS

•PAGASA divides the climate of the country into two main seasons—rainy and dry

•the rainy season, from June to November; dry season, from December to May.

•The dry season may be subdivided further into a cool dry season, from December to
February;

•and the hot dry season, from March to May.

Graphically the seasons can be represented this way:

Month December-February March-May June-August September-November

Rainfall DRY RAINY

Temperature COOL HOT

Season Cool Dry Hot Dry Rainy

Topic: SUN PATHWAY SPACE; WIND
DIRECTION; VEGETATION
“The Sun rises in the East and sets in the West, no
matter where you are in the world.”
Using the Sun to your advantage when you
orientate your building.

•The ideal house orientation is that the main long axis of the
building runs East-West

•You can move this by as much as 20 degrees without ill

effect, but the most glass on the building must be facing
towards the Sun

•When deciding the building orientation also take into

account the location of landscape features on your plot , i.e.
trees and walls.
Using the Sun to your advantage when you
orientate your building.
•It is very important that you remember to orientate your
house with respect to the Sun and not to magnetic North (or
South)

•Apparent magnetic North can be very different to where

Solar North is (up to 20 degrees), this can make all the
difference between a passive solar design being viable or
not.

•Also of importance is that the rooms most used

must be on the side of the house orientated
towards the Sun, ex. Kitchen, lounge.

•Also put the least used rooms on the side of

the house in shade, i.e. garage, laundry;
Using the Sun to your advantage when you
orientate your building.

•It is important to be comfortable all year long and not just for
a single season.

•It is reckoned that a correctly orientated passive solar

building will reduce its energy consumption by 30 to 40
percent.

•Something not to be forgotten is that a correctly orientated

building will usually have a roof line running perfectly East to
West.

•This is ideal for mounting on Solar water heater panels

(Solar water heating article) or solar panels for electrical
generation.
How big should the windows be?

For North facing windows:

If the solar access is good (i.e. nothing blocking the sun as it tracks across the
sky) and the floors are concrete slab (or slab with tiles on them):
1.The area of the North facing windows should be large; somewhere between
10-15% of the building's total floor; and

1.The area of the North facing windows in each individual room can be up to
25% of the room's floor area.
How big should the windows be?
If the solar access is good and floors are timber:

1. The area of the North facing windows should be large; this time around 10%
of the buildings total floor area, and

2. The area of North facing windows in each room can be up to 20% of the
room's floor area.

If it is the case that solar access is poor (i.e. lots of trees):

1.The area of the North facing windows be kept small; less than 8% of the total
floor area, and

2. Keep the window area in each room less than 15% of the room's floor area.
How big should the windows be?

For South facing windows:

Keep the South facing windows small:

1.Total window area should be less than 5% of the total floor area.
2.Windows in individual rooms less than 15% of the room's floor area.

For East facing windows:

Less than 5% of the total floor area and 15% of the floor area of each room.

For West facing windows:

Less than 3% of the total floor area and less than 10% of the floor area of each
room.
Conclusion:

•Correct building orientation is critical to reducing your energy consumption and

creating a living space that is naturally comfortable to live in.

•by reducing your energy consumption you are doing a lot to help the
environment and live a more sustainable lifestyle.
SITE ANALYSIS

1. Assessing a site for sun

When assessing a site for sun, consider:

•the time during the day that the site receives sunlight
•the sun's path at different times of the day and year
•how the site’s shape, slope and orientation affect solar access
•how obstructions such as adjacent buildings, trees and landforms will impact on
the site and the potential design.
•the owners' lifestyle – for example, when they want to have sun or shade.
SITE ANALYSIS

2. Sun path

•A site visit can help identify site-specific conditions such as the impact of a tree
or a ridgeline and will assess the passage of sun across the site.

•Sun path diagram will help establish the position of the sun relative to a site and
can be used to determine the effect of shadows cast by buildings, trees and
landforms on and around the site.
SITE ANALYSIS

3. Building material durability

•UV (ultraviolet) radiation affects the durability of many materials.

•Colours fade, plastic-based materials may become brittle, timber moves and
twists, and expansion and contraction from heating and cooling places stress on
many materials.

•Select materials with a higher UV index number (when available) as they are
more resistant to UV degradation (such as fading).
SITE ANALYSIS

4. Shade

•When considering sunlight and building design, assess the impact of

obstructions in the future as well as the present.

•For example, a small tree on an adjacent site may grow into a large one that
blocks sun, a building may be erected on a currently vacant site or an existing
building may be demolished and replaced by a larger one.
SITE ANALYSIS

5. Sites with limited solar access

•South and east-facing, sloping sites have limited solar access, it is difficult to
utilize effective passive solar design features on these sites.

•Where it is not possible to avoid or the site is an otherwise desirable one (e.g. if
it has excellent views), careful consideration of design including building location
(e.g. locate as high as possible on the site), orientation and use of
skylights/clerestories can maximize the benefits of solar access.
SITE ANALYSIS
5. Wind direction

•Wind direction, speed and frequency will influence the building design including
bracing requirements, roof and wall cladding selection, weather-tightness
detailing, building entry locations, window size and placement and provision of
shelter for outdoor spaces.

In Terrain area, wind speed will:

• increase as it passes over or between hills
• slow down as it passes over rougher terrain (drag effect)
• accelerate over open and flat expanses of land or water

In large expanse of water nearby, ex. sea or a lake:

•During the day, solar gain will heat the land mass, resulting in an increase in
temperature relative to an adjacent large body of water. As air warmed by the
land rises, cooler air from over the water will replace the rising air, resulting in
the generation of afternoon, on-shore breezes
SITE ANALYSIS
5. Wind direction

Adjacent buildings/ vegetation:

•wind speed is lower when a site is surrounded by taller buildings
• wind speed will increase where it funnels around or between buildings
•wind speed is slowed by trees and vegetation

Building height:
•The higher the building, the more exposed it will be to higher winds, particularly
where the building is taller than adjacent buildings or vegetation.
SITE ANALYSIS
5. Wind direction

•The prevailing wind direction must be considered in relation to the design of a

building, in particular, for locations of doors and opening windows, and provision
of shelter for outdoor areas.

Other aspects of wind to consider include:

•the direction of the strongest wind

•the direction of the coldest wind
•humid/dry winds
•wind that comes off the sea (salt spray issues)
•the wind direction that brings most of the rain.
Plants, trees and landscape features
•Plants, trees and landscape features provide shade and wind shelter, help with
storm water and erosion control, provide a habitat for native or other wildlife and
can make a site more attractive.

Plants and trees can assist the passive design of buildings by:
•providing shade
•funneling breezes where cooling is required
•providing shelter from intrusive winds
•reducing glare by filtering sunlight

Deflect wind Funneling cooling breezes

Plants, trees and landscape features
Retaining/removing trees

•Removing trees and other vegetation may:

•require permission from the local council
•alter drainage patterns
•increase risks of erosion and land slippage
•result in increased exposure to pollution and noise from adjacent roads.
•Before removing trees from a site, consider their value to the environment
and/or the community.
•Long areas of planting provide corridors for wildlife to move between areas of
bush and encourage native species that improve biodiversity.
•Streams and wetlands provide food or shelter to local wildlife, and streambanks
can also provide corridors through which wildlife can move.
Tro p i c a l d e s i g n a p p ro a c h

DUCUT . PORWEL . PREMACIO. REYES

 •

•
Windows
•
•

•
•

•
•

•
 CAUTIONS
•

•
Windows
•

•
 Doors

•
Doors
fiberglass

steel
vinyl
Doors •

DUTCH
•
•
•

•
 PAI NT S U SE D
IN TR OP I CA L
COUNT RI E S
N A V A R R O V A L E R A
ADALIN B A L I N O N
BOYSEN (PACIFIC
PAINT)
POSSIBLY THE MOST TRUSTED
FILIPINO PAINT BRAND, BOYSEN
PRODUCES A WIDE RANGE OF
COATINGS EVERY SURFACE.

BOYSEN PERMATEX
A WATER-BASED, TEXTURED FINISHED
PAINT COMMONLY USED FOR
INTERIOR WALLS & CEILINGS
 DAVIES PAINT
ONE OF THE LEADING PAINT BRAND
IN THE PHILIPPINES AND ITS
KNOWN FOR ITS ENORMOUS
COLOR SELECTION.

DAVIES SUN & RAIN

A LOW SHEEN ELASTOMETRIC PAINT
WITH UV AND WATER RESISTANCE
THAT IS ALSO ODOURLESS.
 DUTCH BOY
THIS AMERICAN BRAND HAS BEEN
IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR OVER 70
YEARS NOW, AND IS LOVED FOR ITS
QUALITY AND COLOR RANGE

NALCRETE FLAT LATEX

A PREMIUM QUALITY ACRYLIC WITH A
FLAT FINISH THAT CAN BE USED FOR
INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES
 NIPPON PAINT
A POPULAR AND TRUSTED PAINT BRAND
THAT PROVIDES LOCAL SOLUTIONS AND
STYLISH COLOUR DESIGN.

SATIN GLO
A SATIN FINISH THAT IS WASHABLE
AND SCRUB RESISTANT
Why do most people in tropical
countries use white paint for their
homes?

WHITE PAINT IS A
RELATIVELY CHEAP,
GOOD REFLECTOR OF
SUNLIGHT (RADIANT
HEAT) AND SO KEEPS
THE BUILDINGS
WHITE PAINT
COOLER.
 THE SUN ABSORBS DARK COLOURS.
BECAUSE THE WEATHER IS QUITE HOT
AND HUMID IN TROPICAL AREAS, ANY
WAY TO REDUCE THE HEAT ABSORPTION
FROM THE SUN WILL HELP.
ADD A FUN FACT HERE

THE LIGHTER THE PAINT COLOURS =

THE BETTER.
THE LESS HEAT ABSORPTION, THE MORE
COMFORTABLE IT IS TO LIVE.
 P A I N T U S E D
W H I T E O R S
U S E I N T E R I
IN H O
 ER IO R C OL O R
EXT OR
SCH E ME S F
IC A L HO U SE S
TROP

LIGHTER MAROON BRIGHT

WHITE WITH GRAY TERRACOTTA
with golden brown wooden
for brighter and door for natural earthy style
modern look
 ER IO R C OL O R
EXT OR
SCH E ME S F
IC A L HO U SE S
TROP

LIGHTER MAROON
with golden brown wooden LIGHT BLUE AND
WHITE
door
MINT GREEN BEIGE
 TROPICAL
COLORS FOR
INTERIOR
 AQUA
A PALER BLUE THAN TURQUOISE WITH A
SLIGHT GREEN UNDERTONE,
AQUA IS A TROPICAL PASTEL THAT ADDS A
SOOTHING, WARM VIBE TO ANY SPACE.

TURQUOISE
THIS VIVID BLUE INSTANTLY
BRINGS TO MIND WARM TROPICAL
WATERS AND CALM SEA BREEZES.
 CORAL
ALSO KNOWN AS A DEEP PEACH OR PINK
SALMON.THIS CLASSIC MUTED ORANGE
HAS UNMISTAKABLE ISLAND CHARM.

TANGERINE
THIS SUN-DRENCHED COLOR IS
COMMONLY FOUND IN KITCHENS
AND LIVING ROOMS, AND IT CAN
GIVE BEDROOMS A SUNNY
DISPOSITION AS WELL
T H A NK YO U !
TROPICAL
DESIGN
PLANNING; STRATEGIES

GROUP 8
CAAYAO, JEAN MARGARET
GUIMAN, CHRISTIAN S.
LEDESMA, REINE ROSE
ORDOÑEZ, PAULINA MAE
 WHAT IS TROPICAL DESIGN AND ITS
SIGNIFICANCE
• Tropical architecture is all about achieving thermal comfort through the use
of passive design elements like sunshades, cavity walls, light shelves,
overhangs, roof and wall insulation and even shading from large trees to
block the sun. It can look very traditional, ultramodern or even high-tech.
• Tropical architecture can be regarded as a type of green building applicable
specifically for tropical climates, using design to optimally reduce buildings’
energy consumption, particularly the cooling load.
 WHAT IS TROPICAL DESIGN AND ITS
SIGNIFICANCE
Why tropical architecture?

• Some point out that the phrase, if not the concept, originated during colonial
times and is a vestigial legacy of European sovereignty in South East Asia.
Many of us practicing in South East Asia forget that tropical architecture
applies also to parts of Australia, Africa and the Americas. On the other hand,
the influence of traditional tropical architecture may be seen in Asia as far
north as India, China and Japan – countries which are largely not tropical in
climate.
 WHAT IS TROPICAL DESIGN AND ITS
SIGNIFICANCE
Why tropical architecture?

• The point of departure for most tropical architecture is climate. At the

simplest level, modern tropical architecture has been simply an adaptation of
modern trends in design and construction to climate, taking into
consideration some changes in the lifestyle that the tropical climate affords
 A. PASSIVE DESIGN
• a design that works with the environment to
exclude unwanted heat or cold and take advantage
of sun and breezes, therefore avoiding or
minimizing the need for mechanical heating or
cooling

• in the tropics, it means designing a building to

make the most out of natural light and cooling
breezes, and using shading, orientation, and
appropriate building materials to reduce heat gain
and storage

IMPORTANCE: The use of passive design principles in

the tropics results in a building that is comfortable,
energy efficient and results in substantial savings in
running costs of both cooling and lighting.
 B. TROPICAL DESIGN BASIC CONSIDERATIONS,
PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES (USING PASSIVE DESIGN)

1) Orientation to maximize air

flow (maximizing natural ventilation)
• The lack of breeze during the
hottest days can pose challenges
for achieving effective natural
ventilation and designing to
encourage convection flow is very
effective at these times.
 1) ORIENTATION TO MAXIMIZE AIR FLOW
(MAXIMIZING NATURAL VENTILATION)
Designing a building in a way that maximizes natural ventilation will greatly reduce the need for energy-intensive air
conditioning.
 1) ORIENTATION TO MAXIMIZE AIR FLOW
(MAXIMIZING NATURAL VENTILATION)
For the Philippines, having a warm humid climate, here are the few basic
design principles & strategies regarding natural ventilation to cool a home or
a building:
• Building Orientation
• Walls
• Openings
• Room Width & Ceiling Heights
• Supplementing Natural Ventilation (Fans)
 BUILDING ORIENTATION

• Orient the building to make the

most of prevailing winds
 WALLS

• The external features of the building envelope

and its relation to the site should be designed to
fully utilize air movement. Interior partitions
should not block air movements.

• Air velocity can be reduced when the interior

walls are placed close to the inlet opening or
each time it is diverted around obstructions.

• If interior walls are unavoidable, air flow can still

be ensured if the partitions have openings at the
lower and upper portions. This is a common
strategy in the old Filipino bahay na bato, with its
transom panels covered with intricate wood
carvings or wood louvers.
 OPENINGS

• Window openings are advisable at

the body level for evaporative
human body cooling.
• Maximize window openings for
cross ventilation of internal spaces.
• Align vents, windows and doors to
allow air flow through the building –
these should be aligned in a
reasonably straight line for
maximum effectiveness
 ROOM WIDTH & CEILING HEIGHTS

• Room width should not exceed five Living Area

Size Dimensions (in ft) Dimensions (in m)
times ceiling height for good air Small 12 x 16 3.65 x 4.87

movement Medium 14 x 20 4.26 x 6.09

Large 16 x 24 4.87 x 7.31

• Having a higher ceiling, like Dining Area

having a steeper roof pitch, allows Size Dimensions (in ft) Dimensions (in m)

Small 10 × 12 3.04 x 3.65

hot air to rise and creates more Medium 12 × 16 3.65 x 4.87

space for cool air to circulate, Large 14 x 18 4.26 x 5.49

which cools the room. Kitchen

Size Dimensions (in ft) Dimensions (in m)
Small 5 x 10 1.52 x 3.04
Medium 10 x 16 3.04 x 4.87
Large 12 x 20 3.65 x 6.09
SUPPLEMENTING NATURAL VENTILATION (FANS)

• Fans can be placed at various

heights and areas to increase
comfort conditions. Fans are
effective in generating internal air
movement, improve air
distribution and increase air
velocities.
 2) REMOVING HOT AIR

• Design for convection air flow to remove hot air from the building.
Convection air flow is created by hot air rising and exiting at the highest
point, which naturally draws in cool air from outside.
 2) REMOVING HOT AIR

The following are some design strategies in removing hot air from
a building:

• Vents in the roof cavity can be very effective in drawing out

heat from the room interiors.

• Since hot air goes upward, and cool air goes downward,
openings at the top of staircases and in clerestory windows
facilitate air change.

• It is generally cooler at night, so ventilation of internal spaces

can be continuous for nighttime cooling. This means designing
the building with operable windows to let hot air escape at
night and to capture prevailing night winds.

• Place low window opening across a space from high window

openings. This will be even more effective at cooling if
incoming air is being drawn from a shaded area where plants
are growing.
 3) ORIENTATION TO MAXIMIZE AIR FLOW
(MAXIMIZING NATURAL VENTILATION)

• Generally, the best approach in the tropics is to design that all

walls are shaded from the sun all year round.
• The following are some design strategies in minimizing solar
heat gain in the building:
➢ Sun shading
➢ Roofs
 3) ORIENTATION TO MAXIMIZE AIR FLOW
(MAXIMIZING NATURAL VENTILATION)
• Sun shading
➢ Sunshades and sun protection
devices on openings reduce heat
gain and glare, and also help in
internal daylighting.
➢ Louvres that are adjustable can alter
the direction of air flow and lighting.
➢ Shading materials should reflect
heat, and not be another source of
heat.
 3) ORIENTATION TO MAXIMIZE AIR FLOW
(MAXIMIZING NATURAL VENTILATION)

• Roofs
➢ Asian houses have big roof
overhangs to protect interior
spaces from heat gain and glare.
➢ Roof insulation is a must in our
warm climate. This reduces the
temperature significantly inside
the house.
 3. ORIENTATION TO MAXIMIZE AIR FLOW
(MAXIMIZING NATURAL VENTILATION)

• Roofs
➢ Asian houses have big roof
overhangs to protect interior
spaces from heat gain and glare.
➢ Roof insulation is a must in our
warm climate. This reduces the
temperature significantly inside
the house.
 4) LANDSCAPING

• helps cool the building

• are a great way to block off
heat and provide shade
• also cools the surrounding
area and adds to the
aesthetic appeal of your
home.
 4) LANDSCAPING

• helps cool the building

• are a great way to block off
heat and provide shade
• also cools the surrounding
area and adds to the
aesthetic appeal of your
home.
 5) USE OF LOW THERMAL MASS BUILDING
MATERIALS
• Thermal mass is the ability of a material
to absorb and store heat energy.
Appropriate use of thermal mass
throughout your home can make a big
difference to comfort and heating and
cooling bills.
➢ A lot of heat energy is required to change
the temperature of high density materials
like concrete, bricks and tiles. They are
therefore said to have high thermal mass.
➢ Lightweight materials such as timber
have low thermal mass.
 C. EXAMPLES OF TROPICAL DESIGN
Vernacular Architecture
• Vernacular Architecture may not so
much be defined in terms of style, but
rather in terms of process, how it is
design and built.
• The process of vernacular design is
adjusting an existing model to particular
needs and results to variations of the
original.
• (e.g. Primitive dwelling to adapts to local
climate, thus, bahay kubo)
 C. EXAMPLES OF TROPICAL DESIGN
Vernacular Architecture
• Vernacular Architecture may not so
much be defined in terms of style, but
rather in terms of process, how it is
design and built.
• The process of vernacular design is
adjusting an existing model to particular
needs and results to variations of the
original.
• (e.g. Primitive dwelling to adapts to local
climate, thus, bahay kubo)
 1) BAHAY KUBO

• In the tropical setting of the

Philippines, passive cooling
techniques have been in use since
pre-historic times.
• Bahay kubo is designed as an
adaptation to its tropical
environment.
 1) BAHAY KUBO
• Among the bahay kubo’s adaptations:
➢ The living platform is elevated on stilts.
➢ The flexible framing system and
materials allow the bahay kubo’s frame
to sway during earthquakes.
➢ The Bamboo flooring material creates
gaps between the slats which allows air
to breeze. upward into the living space.
• Among the bahay kubo’s adaptations:
➢ Large windows facilitate cross
ventilation.
➢ Operable window awnings provide
shade from sun and rain.
➢ Roof provide wide overhangs for the
windows to protect them for solar
radiation and rain.
➢ The walls and roof are constructed of
thatch(nipa) with low Uvalues.
➢ Time lag for the porous materials
becomes negligible.
1) BAHAY KUBO
• When the spanish colonization of the Philippine
began, numerous construction projects had to be
undertaken by the colonizers. Successive
earthquakes destroyed many building forcing the
designers to rethink their structures.

• Over a period of time, their architecture evolved

in order to adapt to local environmental
conditions in the Philippines. To some extent, the
designers had to ”copy” some of the adaptive
features of the bahay kubo.

• This became the evolutionary birth of the

Philippines Ancestral house or more commonly
known as the Bahay na Bato.
 2) BAHAY NA BATO
• The bahay na bato’s living platform was elevated
from the damp ground by a stone base on the
ground floor.
• The roof has a high pitch just like the bahay kubo
so that rain water can be drained quickly
• The high pitch roof created a large air space
between the roof and the ceiling.
• The Bahay na Bato has wide eaves (alero) that
provides the necessary sun shading for its
window openings.
• The Bahay na Bato has large windows and
ventanillas below the windows to take full
advantage of cross ventilation.
2) BAHAY NA BATO
• The underside of the wide eaves was fitted with
latticed vents that allow breeze to enter roof cavity
preventing hot air fro accumulatuon within the cavity.
• To further protect the space from heat gain, a double
wall system was built into the Bahay na Bato
• This feature is now known as a DOUBLE LAYERED
FACADE system used in many of our modern
buildings
• While the venting of its cavity between the DOUBLE
LAYERED FACADE (volada) is now known as
VENTILATED DOUBLE FACADE (VDF)
• In certain cases, the volada had operable louvers or
jalousies on its exterior. The operable jalousies
operate on the principle we now recognize
 SOURCES:

• https://business.inquirer.net/19613/tropical-architecture)
• https://www.rpaarchitects.com.au/about/sustainable-tropical-design/
• https://constantintegratedph.com/news/5-tropical-design-solutions-home/
• https://www.slideshare.net/BryllEdisonPar/case-study-of-tropical-design-of-an-architect
• http://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design/thermal-mass
• https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/45642/BuildingDesign.pdf
• https://www.academia.edu/31112889/TROPICAL_DESIGN_THEORIES_CONCEPTS_AND_
STRATEGIES?auto=download