ORGANIZATIONS:
seasons and increases in filtration heat losses of buildings.
LOOSE URBAN PATTERNS maximize cooling breezes in hot
climates, while DENSE URBAN PATTERNS minimize winter winds
in heating climates. [heating and cooling]
Air movement in streets can be either an as set or a
liability, depending on season and climate. Wind is
desirable in streets of hot climates to cool people and
remove excess heat from the streets;
it also becomes a potential resource to cool buildings by
cross ventilation. This is important all the time in humid
climates and mostly at night in arid climates.
On the other hand, wind reduces pedestrian comfort in cool
To reduce wind flows in streets, wind breaks can be used to block
undesirable cold winter winds or hot, dusty desert winds
[WINDBREAKS]. Buildings spaced closer together will also reduce
flows in the streets.
For regular organizations of buildings in an urban pattern, taller
buildings on narrow streets yield the most wind protection,
while shorter buildings on wider streets promote more air
movement. In cool climates, major streets oriented
perpendicular to winter winds and street networks with
discontinuous organization and many T - intersections will slow
and block wind flow in streets.
ZONING
Rooms can be grouped into COOLING ZONES based on similar cooling
requirements, facilitating the use of the same cooling strategies at the same
time. [cooling and ventilation]
Many buildings house a range of activities with ranging cooling needs. When
a building is treated as a single thermal zone during the cooling season, it
cannot adapt to these varying demands. Multiple cooling zones allow each
zone to be designed to meet different criteria for temperature, humidity
and ventilation.

The Seminar II Building at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington,

by Mahlum Architects, uses a variety of cooling zones (Moody, 2007; Astier,
2005; Macaulay and McLennan, 2005). Covered outdoor circulation
connects five small buildings, eliminating most conditioning of circulation.
Two large MIXED MODE ground floor lecture rooms are mechanically cooled
and naturally ventilated. Offices and classrooms are STACK-VENTILATION
ROOMS with perimeter inlets and sound-baffled outlets into a multi-story
circulation space.

The result is the elimination of the conventional air-conditioning system for

80% of the occupied space, and significantly reduced operating periods for
the remaining mechanical cooling system.
ZONING
Rooms can be organized into HEATING ZONES based on their
needs for heating and whether or not they can make use of
internal heat sources. [heating and ventilation]
Depending on the occupant activity level, occupant clothing
and the length of occupancy, temperature criteria for heating
may vary significantly. Rooms can be organized into zones
with similar needs for heating. Some rooms, such as a
computer lab, may need cooling while, other rooms need
only a little heat, and still others have a higher demand.
In general, spaces with a short occupancy period can have a
very wide comfort zone. An example is an unheated staircase
or corridor. BUFFER ZONES are often unconditioned while
other spaces, such as a SUNSPACE or courtyard, can be
occupied when they are comfortable and remain unoccupied
when uncomfortable [MIGRATION]. More continuously
occupied rooms also have a range of heating needs and
criteria. A gymnasium, for example, can be cooler than an
office with sedentary workers.
Consider these spatial implications of heating zones:
• Group rooms together that have similar heating
needs.
• Organize the occupied rooms around outdoor or
unconditioned, solar-heated circulation.
• Orient groups of rooms with the greatest heating
needs toward the winter sun [ROOMS FACING THE
SUN AND WIND].
• Design a range of open, semi-enclosed and enclosed
rooms to create degrees of climate separation and
modification. Use OUTDOOR MICROCLIMATES
strategies to reduce the heated zone size.
• Define which zones can be heated with only passive
solar strategies and which will require active backup
heating. The passive-only rooms can be grouped
together to minimize the heating distribution
systems runs and equipment size.
ZONING
Rooms can be organized into HEATING ZONES based on their
needs for heating and whether or not they can make use of
internal heat sources. [heating and ventilation]
Olivia Schimek's Solar City Kindergarten in Linz,Austria, is
organized into clear heating zones with different temperature
criteria. (Treberspurg, 2008; A + W, 2000)

A south-facing outdoor zone sheltered by a LAYER OF SHADES

is the most exposed, while glazed play pavilions offer semi-
enclosed BUFFER ZONES. A central SUNSPACE is comfortable
enough to pass through at any time.

A toplit, glazed and solar heated passageway zone is not

mechanically conditioned and allows for a wider range of
The large roof slopes south, capturing sun as a
acceptable temperatures in a space used primarily for short
PHOTOVOLTAIC ROOF and supporting THERMAL
periods of movement. The DIRECT GAIN classrooms are
COLLECTORS and SOLAR HOT WATER collectors, along
located to the south, with the best access to light and heat.
with direct gain SOLAR APERTURES. Heat is stored in the
central core's concrete structure [THERMAL MASS], in a
A north-facing service block accommodates service functions
ROCK BED and in water tanks.
and more private spaces. Its window area is limited to that
needed for daylight.
ZONING
ZONING
ZONING
HEAT PRODUCING ZONES: Rooms can be zoned within buildings to
use or reject sources of it, internal heat gain. [heating and cooling]

In many buildings, certain areas generate large quantities of

heat from heavy concentrations of equipment or people.
Buildings with a heating requirement can exploit these
sources to supply some of the needed heat. Traditional New
England houses frequently clustered their rooms around the
central hearth used for cooking, in order to share its heat.

These heat sources can be positioned to heat the north side

(south in Southern Hemisphere), which compliments the
sun-warmed south areas (N in SH). In warmer climates
where cooling requirements pre-dominate, the heat-
producing elements can be isolated from the other spaces.
In Robert E. Lee's home, Stratford Hall, in warm, humid
Virginia, the kitchen, which is a constant source of heat, is
located in a separate dependency. To heat the main house
when it is cold, fire-places unrelated to the continuous
cooking activity are used. They are placed at centralized
points in the plan and are surrounded on all sides by rooms.
Two other examples of heat-producing zones are restaurant kitchens and mechanical
rooms. Because they produce high rates of heat gain and require high rates of outside
fresh air, restaurant kitchens are often heated, cooled, and ventilated separately from
the dining areas. Mechanical rooms, which may contain heat-producers such as boilers,
furnaces and hot water storage, can be located to share their excess heat with adjacent
rooms, such as when placed in a central core. Alternatively, a mechanical room may be
placed in a location that makes venting it separately much easier, such as on at the edge
of a building's upper floor or as 'a Penthouse.
ZONING

HEAT PRODUCING ZONES: Rooms can be zoned within buildings to

use or reject sources of it, internal heat gain. [heating and cooling]

In many buildings, certain areas generate large quantities of heat

from heavy concentrations of equipment or people. Buildings with a
heating requirement can exploit these sources to supply some of the
needed heat. Traditional New England houses frequently clustered
their rooms around the central hearth used for cooking, in order to
share its heat.

These heat sources can be positioned to heat the north side (south in
Southern Hemisphere), which compliments the sun-warmed south
areas (N in SH). In warmer climates where cooling requirements pre-
dominate, the heat-producing elements can be isolated from the
other spaces.
ZONING Large, glazed rooms, if not
heated or cooled
mechanically, will usually
BUFFER ZONES: Rooms that can tolerate temperature swings have an average temperature
can be located between protected rooms and undesired heat in winter somewhere
AND cold. [heating and cooling] between the indoor and
outdoor temperatures, thus
Some spaces in a building's program have less rigid temperature requirements reducing the heating load of
because of the nature of their use, like storage, or the duration of their use, like the conditioned spaces. The
circulation. buffer space will also reduce
the day-light available to
Some spaces, like bedrooms, have temperature requirements only at certain adjacent rooms, so windows
times of the day. These spaces can frequently be used as thermal buffer zones facing a buffer must be larger
spaces between the exterior environment and spaces that need careful than those in exterior
temperature control. facades.

Ralph Erskine used the garage and storage areas in the Villa Gadelius as a buffer
zone against the cold north winds in Lindingo, Sweden. The south zone of the If the buffer space faces south (north in Southern
house is extended in the east—west direction and increased in height so that the Hemisphere), it can provide heat for nearby spaces, in which
living spaces have access to the south sun (Deustch Bauzeitung 8/1965; Colly- case, its average temperature will be close to that of the
more, 1994). interior rooms. If it faces east, west, or north (south in
Southern Hemisphere), it reduces envelope losses, but will
The opposite approach was taken by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Pauson House in
the hot Phoenix, Arizona, climate. The virtually unglazed circulation and storage not provide net winter solar gains.
spaces are used as a buffer zone along the north-west part of the house to
protect the living spaces from the low, late afternoon sun (Hitchcock, 1942).
ZONING
DAYLIGHT ZONES: Rooms can be arranged within the building so that activities that need higher lighting levels are
near the windows while activities that don't need as much light are farther from daylight sources. [daylighting]

Many buildings have a range of activities that have varying visual tasks and therefore different illumination needs.
Areas nearest the skin of the building have the greatest opportunity for daylight at the highest illumination levels.

If activities are zoned so that those that need the light are placed near openings in the skin and those that don't are
placed in the interior, then the amount of relatively expensive skin and glazed openings can be reduced because of a
smaller skin/volume ratio.

The rate of electric light use, and thus heat gains are also reduced. The Mount Angel Library in Oregon, by Alvar Aalto,
divides activities into two main groups: reading, which requires high levels of illumination, and book storage, which
requires lower levels.

The reading areas are next to openings in the skin along the perimeter wall and under the skylight in the center, while
the book storage occurs between the two reading areas, farthest from the pools of light.
ZONING
DAYLIGHT ZONES: Rooms can be arranged within the building so
that activities that need higher lighting levels are near the
windows while activities that don't need as much light are
farther from daylight sources. [daylighting]
Louis Sullivan followed a similar approach in the Auditorium Building in
Chicago, ringing the exterior of the building with offices that need light
and putting the auditorium, which needs light control, in the darker
center of the building.

In dense urban areas with narrow streets or tall buildings, there is more
light available on upper floors than at street level . Rooms with a greater
need for light can be placed on upper floors, while those requiring less
light can be located nearer the ground level.

Some uses occur for only short periods, such as circulation or rest rooms,
or have little human occupancy, such as storage and mechanical rooms.
These may be located in areas with less access to perimeter lighting,
while longer occupancy uses are located closer to day-light apertures.
SKIN HEAT FLOW
 Singapore public housing

The design is ideal for thermal performance and natural

vegetation
ventilation.

House -1
• the potential of this orientation is not fully exploited,
Closeness between parallel simply because residents often keep their windows
housing blocks, common in closed to maintain privacy
the 1970s, discourages the
opening of windows.
(Source: Cam) House -2
• In later public housing, the provision of a good view
encourages residents to open the windows to enjoy not
only the green settings but also natural air and light,
which subsequently lead to a reduction in energy
consumption for lighting and air-conditioning

• Coincidentally, the staggering of apartment blocks

results in better ventilation as the apartments no longer
block each other

More recent housing blocks are

designed with integrated greenery and
with windows facing away from one
TROPICAL SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
another. Social and Environmental Dimensions-Joo-Hwa Bay and Boon Lay Ong
(Source: Cam)
SPATIAL DIMENSION OF FORECOURT
semi-open spaces

The quality of THERMAL

PERFORMANCE of smaller
size forecourts were
simulated and plotted
against

• the degree of
reduction of solar
radiation by shading.

As the forecourt size

narrows down to a
threshold point, the
thermal comfort condition
deteriorates drastically,
rendering the space not
conducive for various
social activities.

(Source: N. Wang &J.H. Bay)

vegetation
 Urban GREEN STRUCTURES can cool hot air by evapotranspiration; shade the ground and walls,
reduce the radiant temperature and control of wind velocity and direction; regenerate air; and filter
dust and noise
Open spaces & Built form

 Tall buildings can significantly disturb AIRFLOWS over urban areas, The net result is that urban
areas, in general, are less windy than surrounding rural areas.
 The design of open spaces is very important for the urban environment and an understanding of
the effects influencing thermal comfort in these spaces will assist in designing spaces that
encourage public use all times of the year

Open spaces & Built form

Source Jan Gehl publishing cover page

AIR MOVEMENT PRINCIPLE
• When wind meets an object like buildings or a hill, it creates a high
pressures zones of increased velocity

• On the windward side of the object(sides of the wind is blowing

towards) and a low pressure zone of lower velocity On the lower side
of the object.

• The velocity is increased as the wind sweeps around the sides and over
the top of the object

In humid climate………………………………………
The building, should, in such a case, have its longest
dimension perpendicular to the direction of airflow.
 Wind flow around building
• In humid climates buildings should
preferably not be attached to one
another.

• Streets and the open spaces should

be oriented with respect to wind
patterns.

• The open spaces and the funnel

effect can be used to maximize
airflow within the complex.

Wind patterns are altered by their interaction with built

form in complex ways.

The diagrams of Wind Flows around Buildings are

adapted from results of wind tunnel studies (Evans,
1957}..
OPEN SPACES & BUILDINGS: Dispersed Organizations
DISPERSED BUILDINGS with continuous and wide open spaces preserve each building's access to breezes
buildings in which cross-ventilation is important should
be separated by a distance of five to seven times the
building height to assure adequate airflow if they are
directly behind one another
(M. Evans, 1980, p. 64; Koenigsberger et at., 1973, p.
129).

The graph assumes wind perpendicular to buildings

(Bittencourt, 1993, p. 131).
OPEN SPACES & BUILDINGS: interwoven Organizations
Organizations of interwoven buildings & planting can be used to reduce the ambient air Temperature

In villa el salvador ,a repetitive module of

neighborhood wards centered around a
park block. (16 residential blocks
surrounding a public green)

Open space, in the form of shaded parks, is

thus democratically distributed in the
cellular grid

villa el salvador ,peru

more smaller open spaces, evenly distributed will

have a greater cooling effect than a few large
parks.

Streets should be oriented to carry cooler air away

from parks.

• while in hot-humid climates, the proportional

effect of shading is more significant. The effect
of shading ranges from 15 to 35% of total
COOLING DUE TO TREE COVER
cooling energy savings from trees.
 TRADITIONAL COURTYARD GARDENS, IN URBAN CONTEXT ( an shade analysis)
present the role of landscape in traditional Islamic garden courtyards
AL SUHAYMI HOUSE , Cairo
temperature and humidity were studied, in addition to a shade
study
• shades in courtyard-buildings were insufficient.
• Therefore, vegetation and water were used to
compensate for the lack of improvement provided by
the shade.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN AIMED TO EMPHASIZE THE PASSIVE VENTILATION

i. The
fountain
Creates passive ventilation system inside the
courtyards
helped to
comparing the shade

create a cold
air reservoir
Covers 28 %

Covers 10 %
 OPEN SPACES & BUILDINGS: Organizations of housing units

• Row buildings can be used as wind breakers

• high-rise buildings can promote ventilation in the

open spaces of dense development.

Recommendation

1. Streets and squares must always include shaded areas

(colonnades, arcades, etc.) providing protection from sun and
rain.
2. Vegetation may function as shading and promote evaporative
cooling.
3. In hot climate, evaporative cooling through fountains, pools
and wet surfaces may have a positive effect, provided such
devices are appropriately sized.

Two courtyards on the Negev Highlands. Internal

shading of surfaces (0800-1600 hrs)
 Street width& orientation

 Shading is proposed as the main strategy for LOWERING AIR AND RADIANT TEMPERATURES; this
can be achieved by deeper canyons, covered walkways and shade trees. . (The amount of solar
radiation depends on the height of the buildings and on the orientation of the canyon)
 STREET GEOMETRY

The urban landscape influences the wind pattern and

regional wind speed is usually reduced by the city.

The orientation of streets affects the

urban climate in several ways:

• Wind conditions in the urban

area as a whole

• Sun and shade in the streets and

the sidewalks
The street geometry is important for the radiation • Solar exposure of buildings along
balance which controls the temperature pattern in the
city and in turn has an effect on for example energy
the street
consumption and ventilation in the city.
• Ventilation potential of the
The sky view factor (SVF) is a measure of the street geometry buildings along the street
and the photos shows three sites in central Goteborg(swedon).
(a) Open square, SVF.0.93; (b) street intersection, SVF 0.47 and
(c) street canyon, SVF.0.29.

Source -Eliasson / Landscape and Urban Planning 48 (2000) 31

 TROPICAL URBAN STREET CANYONS – an study

• An urban canyon
height/width ratio of 3:1
represents the threshold
of optimum urban canyon
shading and surface
temperature control.

• shallow urban street

canyon is warmer than a
deeper one in the
Jalan Masjid India: the
daytime, but during the
controversial “street roof”.
night it can cool more
rapidly than the deeper
canyon, which remains
warmer for much longer.

Shading of streets due to urban

canyon geometry is an inherent
property of street canyons that
needs to be properly understood
to mitigate the thermal
environmental stress

Melawati site - Malaysia

Damansara site
STREETS, OPEN SPACES, & BUILDINGS: Radial Organizations

• AS A RULE, use wide vegetated avenues and open linear parks of

100 m or more in width to enhance urban cooling on calm nights.
Orient some of these wind corridors parallel to the prevailing
breeze to bring wind deep into dense, built-up areas.

• Locate the corridors to connect perimeter green-belts with

centers of built-up density. The area of the greenbelt should be
40-60% of the size of the urban area to be cooled.

• To minimize wind velocity reduction in urban environments,

organize streets and blocks into neighborhood spaced
perpendicular to summer winds and interspersed with open
spaces of 400 x 400 m minimum size, which allow wind to reach
shaded boulevard, Belo horizonte,brazil its unobstructed velocity (Thurow, 1983, p. 27).

The study indicates the importance of urban trees in alleviating the heat island effect in a hot and humid
summer. The tree cooling effect was found to be strongly related to the built form geometry.

THE THERMAL EFFECT OF THE TREE DEPEND MAINLY ON ITS CANOPY COVERAGE LEVEL AND PLANTING DENSITY IN THE
URBAN STREET AND LITTLE ON OTHER SPECIES CHARACTERISTICS.

http://scienceindex.com/stories/138537/Microclimate modeling of street tree species effects within the varied urban
morphology
 STREETS, OPEN SPACES, & BUILDINGS: compact Organizations
shared SHADE: Buildings can be arranged to shade each other and adjacent exterior spaces [cooling]
Design rely less on cross ventilation cooling strategies, buildings are
placed very close together-ARID CLIMATE

When the sun is high,

horizontal shading
elements like roofs,
pergolas or tree canopies
are extremely effective.

This is an effective strategy

in hot-humid climates
where buildings are placed
In Hassan Fathy's design organizes narrow farther apart to encourage
streets oriented in the north-south direction to cross-ventilation.
maximize morning and afternoon shade
(narrow, better shaded streets are
more appropriate for pedestrian
circulation, outdoor living areas, and
shopping. )
STREETS, OPEN SPACES, & BUILDINGS:
BREEZY STREETS oriented to the prevailing wind maximize wind movement in urban environments and
increase the access of buildings to cross-ventilation,
 Streets parallel to the
prevailing wind have the
highest velocity of wind in
the streets,

 while streets perpendicular

to the wind encourage
most of the wind to blow
over buildings, (creates
turbulent wind in the
streets )
Since dense urban areas
 This arrangement allows a create high levels of heat gain
staggered, dispersed and have less ability to lose
organization with gardens heat by radiation (due to
and porches benefiting
narrow sky view factors),
from ample wind flow
through their open spaces wind in streets and open
spaces can be critical to
 buildings turned cooling city of Charleston, South Carolina
oblique(slanting) to the
southwest winds.

To maximize cross-ventilation access and air movement in streets, orient primary avenues at an angle of
approximately 20-30° either direction from the line of the prevailing summer breeze (Givoni, 1992).
 BUILDINGS: Shape and Orientation

BALANCED URBAN PATTERNS of streets and blocks can be oriented and sized to integrate concerns for light,
sun, and shade according to the priorities of the climate, [heating, cooling, and day lighting]

BUILDING TYPE RESPONSE COMMENTS

Minimum spacing required to assure adequate-

light penetration
 STREETS, OPEN SPACES, & BUILDINGS-an case study
outdoor thermal comfort is of importance both for
residential areas and parks
Analysis -conclusion

dispersed urban form where a large part of the

buildings and streets are exposed to solar radiation
No shading for pedestrians

in order to increase shade at street level in future urban

areas in Damascus,

 REDUCING FRONT SETBACKS

 PLANNING NARROWER STREETS
 INCREASE THE PERMISSIVE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FLOORS
 Moreover, architectural elements, which provide
shade for pedestrians at street level such as balconies
and horizontal shading devices
 introducing vegetation and landscaping in the urban
design process
Result
The effect of street trees on thermal comfort since
when rows of trees are added on the pavement, PET
The city of Damascus(Syria), where (a) is Al Tigara park, (b) values are lowered by about 17°C for the PRA and by
is Al Gassany area, (c) is New Dummar area, (d) is Barzza about 16°C for the IRA zone.
area, (e) is Al Mazza park, and (f) is Old Damascus.
 STREETS, OPEN SPACES, & BUILDINGS-an case study
Old Damascus Hourly variation of surface temperature in PRA an IRA
zone with or without row of trees

(a)E-W
Projected upper Typical streets and
floors increase buildings in the
shade at street level modern part of
Damascus.

(a)N-S
 Landforms and landform orientation
Ground character

Landforms can increase or decrease the wind direction

(Source: Brown and Gillespie, 1995)

Landforms in conjunction with other elements such as trees or shrubs can enhance the effect of the vegetation
 TOPOGRAPHIC MICROCLIMATES can be used to Locate building groups

• Hot-Arid: At the bottom of the slope for exposure to cold air flow at night and on east orientations for
decreased solar exposure in the afternoons.

• Hot-Humid: At the top of the slope for exposure to wind and on east orientations for decreased solar
exposure in the afternoons.
an example of shade at a park

designs are especially well coordinated with

the subtropical/tropical climate in Taiwan
• Groundcover involves replacing turfgrass
with mulch, stone, ground covers,
naturalized vegetation or low maintenance
grass.

• Using groundcovers in place of turf can

provide benefits such as reduced water
consumption,

• Groundcover areas can also df vvvvv

for protection around tree planting to
preserve soil and reduce compaction.
Plan elements

Materials selected for use in humid climates should be

naturally decay and fungus resistant, or specially treated
to minimize mildew, rot, and staining
 EVAPORATIVE COOLING TOWERS can supply cool air to rooms without the use of fans or wind

The cool tower provides cool air by

taking in hot, dry outdoor air through
high inlets covered with a wetted
evaporative pad.

As the air passes through the pad, it picks

up moisture, raising its humidity, while
lowering its temperature.

a water spray system in which air passes through and around a series of metal mesh baffles with trays of
moistened charcoal.

Design strategies for the control of direct sunlight

 BUILDINGS: Shape and Orientation -COURTYARDS
Locating outdoor rooms in relation to sun and wind can extend the seasons of outdoor comfort.

Hamdy House in hot-climatic zone

Cairo, Egypt

Surrounded on three sides by walls with wood-screened windows and on one

side by the rest of the house, the main part of the courtyard is open to sky.

The design offers a range of options from full shade to sun, due to the high
walls shade the court,

The windows in the walls allow enough air to move through for night cooling,
outdoor rooms should be located in places with access to breezes while also
providing shade, either from the building or by means of overhead shades
 BUILDINGS: Shape and Orientation -COURTYARDS
SHADY COURTYARDS are tall and narrow and can be used as cold air sink
Tall courts provide shade &
low-angle sun, One part of
the building can cast a
shadow on the court floor
and opposite walls. During
the day the court remains
more comfortable than
exposed outdoor areas,
because its surfaces and the
ambient air are relatively cool
(Koenigsberger et al, 1973, p.
205).
15th century India can be seen in the
city Mansion in Jaisalmer.
COURT
Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Riyadh.
The office building for 1000 workers is
organized around nine three- and
four-story open-to-sky courts linked
by internal souks (shaded pedestrian
streets) surrounding a covered
triangular interior court.
• Five of the courts have walls
covered with a lattice for
vegetation, offering shade to
the interior walls,
• Grilles that filter light while
allowing ventilation.
• Some courts, such as the one
shown, are provided with
trellised pavilions.
• Building interiors are mostly
white, while the court walls
are blue, reducing glare from
bright sun.
• Windows facing the courts are
large relative to the small
windows on the building
exterior
BUILDINGS: Shape and Orientation -COURTYARDS

the graph to estimate the

effect of a courtyard's
height to width ratio
(H/W) on decreasing
summer radiation falling
on the court walls and
floor.
 BUILDINGS: Shape and Orientation -COURTYARDS

A courtyard is a court or enclosed ground attached to a house;

or, a large paved space surrounded by walls or building
conditions, by allowing solar access to all parts of the building,
and by enabling better ventilation of internal spaces.

One of the two courtyards at the Solar control and passive cooling strategies on
ATAM Centre the western elevation of a house in
pecs,hungary (architect: Janos szasz)
 BUILDINGS: Shape and Orientation
A layer of overhead shades can protect outdoor spaces and buildings from the high sun.

• The academic section of

the institute is organized
around a series of courts
and terraces and
connected with pergola-
shaded pedestrian
streets, often flanked by
overlooking galleries.

• a solid opaque ribbed

slab for full shade over
the pedestrian street is
combined with fixed
vertical louvers, offering
partial shade, over the
planted areas on each
side.

• The general openness of

the plan and the range of
semi-outdoor spaces
allows ample ventilation
Doshi, Indian Institute of Management. Bangalore
 Water bodies

Evaporative cooling is a passive cooling technique in which outdoor air is

cooled by evaporating water before it is introduced.

High evaporation may result in discomfort due to high humidity

 Natural and Architectural Means of Evaporative Cooling - Water bodies
Evaporation is inhibited when air approaches saturation
Water bodies
Evaporation of water also raises The courtyards were used as cool
the humidity level. air reservoirs to improve the
microclimate.
• Large water bodies tend to
reduce the difference The landscape design-elements
between day and night such as the quadripartite layout,
temperatures because they water, vegetation and walls were all
act as heat sinks. integrated in the courtyards as a
way of passive cooling
• Evaporative cooling can help
to maintain comfort in
buildings in hot climate.

The temperature was lower

in the Court of Irrigation
ranging between 3oC to 7oC
lower than outside the
complex.

Generalife palace,spain
 Natural and Architectural Means of Evaporative Cooling - Water bodies In urban area

 Fountain design to
provide evaporative
cooling, the water is
chilled by evaporation
between 15-20C

 Water flows over paving

slabs, prolongs cooling
effect, and the thermal
mass absorbs excess heat
even when the water is
Clarke quay not running
Influence of urban morphology and sea breeze on hot humid microclimate: the case of
Colombo, Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT • Canyon geometry on

Urbanization leads to increased thermal its own is capable of
stress in hot-humid climates due to giving rise to variations
increased surface and air temperatures in nocturnal cooling
and reduced wind speed which can generate a
UHI.
The urban sites differed in their height
to width (H/W) ratio, ground cover and • Higher soil moisture
distance to the sea. (and thus higher heat
storage capacity and
AIM OF THE STUDY thermal admittance)
makes the rural
This study empirically examines the
surroundings less
microclimate effects of the existing
different from urban
urban morphology of Colombo, Sri
surfaces. This may
Lanka
HIGHLIGHTS SOME ADAPTATION explain the lower UHIs
STRATEGIES THAT COULD IMPROVE found in many tropical
THE MICROCLIMATE AT STREET LEVEL. cities.
Urban morphology and climate

ADAPTATION STRATEGIES

 Shading this can be achieved by deeper

canyons, covered walkways and shade
trees. (microclimatic approach)

 Sea breeze penetration into the city

should be facilitated by opening up the
coastal strip. (Currently, medium-rise
buildings act as a barrier & creating
wind corridors perpendicular to the sea
that run towards the interior of the
city)

 Horizontal shading is necessary to

provide shade to people and urban
surfaces around solar noon( achieved
by planting shade trees.
IN SEARCH OF A HABITABLE URBAN SPACE-BUILT RATIO : an open space analysis
A case study of building and planning regulation in Dhaka City
TROPICAL CLIMATE IN BANGLADESH
In tropical climates, such as in Dhaka, air flow is important for comfortable indoors and also for removal of
heat.
It is obvious that in dense urban conditions where buildings are located very close to each other this is not an
easy situation to achieve.

House in dense urban setting

(Source: (a) Mallick, 1994, (b) Abdullah, A.Q.M., 2004)
Part I:
Climatic Design suggests a spacing of 6 times the height between buildings to ensure adequate air flow
inside them.

Research on thermal comfort in urban housing in Dhaka has concluded that in houses or flats in buildings
where there are adequate open spaces around, are more comfortable than houses where the buildings are
closely together based on existing set back rules (Mallick, 1994).

• The occurrence of cool islands in tropical cities generally

results from a combination of many factors, including the
existence of green spaces and vegetation as well as the
shading of outdoor spaces by buildings or other built
forms.

Flat in open urban settings (top floor flat

readings). (Source:Mallick, 1994)
SUMMERY
General site design strategies for hot humid regions.

• The proportions of an open space and

its built-up edges should be designed
so that ventilation will be ensured.
• Streets and squares must always
include shaded areas (colonnades,
arcades, etc.) providing protection
from sun and rain. it is vitaL to
incorporate dynamic shading.
• Vegetation may function as shading
and promote evaporative cooling.
cooling through fountains, pools and
wet surfaces may have a positive
effect, provided such devices are
appropriately sized. In such cases it is
important to enable ventilation of the
courtyard in order to avoid
undesirable humidification of the
enclosed air volume.
• Finish materials should prevent glare
and dust trapping.