ROLE OF PASSIVE AND ACTIVE STRATEGY IN GREEN BUILDING CONTEXT

Sahid, ST., MT1, Dr. Ir. Surjamanto W, MT2, Dr. Ir. Sugeng Triyadi, MT3

Abstract
In order to provide comfortable environment for the user and also to protect the envirornment, each
building have an opportunity to use passive and active system. Passive strategy try to optimize and
conserve the usage of potential energy around the building without converting it first to electrical energy.
Otherwise, active strategy try to fulfill human requirement on comfortable environement using electrical-
mechanical equipment. Which one plays the important role than another. Could each system stand alone
without the support of another systems or should we combine those two strategy. The research will be
conducted by comparing the advantage and the lack of each strategy. This research will help us to
understand the role of passive and active system. This research will also give benefit to the development
of green building because optimizing and conserving energy is one of the green building concept

Keyword : green building, passive system, active system.

Introduction
William (2007) states that sustainable design (sustainable design) is a green design that uses sustainable
energy (renewable energy). He also noted that green design incorporate the mechanical system with high
performance technology, but still rely on a non-renewable energy. Thus, the principal difference between
sustainable design and green design lies in the origin of energy sources. Green building as a product of
green design was not considered a sustainable building, if still use a non-renewable energy although it has
been applying the principles of efficiency and energy conservation.
In contrast to William, Wonoraharjo (2012) formulated the principles of sustainable and green difference
lies in the concern for humans. Green building concern to the environmentally friendly and energy
friendly principles. A sustainable building goes beyond green building, concern also to human friendly
principles, beside environmental friendly and energy friendly. The relationship between sustainable and
greenbuilding depicted in Figure 1.

Related to green design, William (2007) emphasized that the green design utilizing environmentally
sensitive materials, creating a healthy environment that does not adversely impact either before, during,
and after the process of manufacturing, construction and demolition. Wonoraharjo (2012) agreed that the
concept of sustainable green covers the entire project life cycle from idea to demolition. A green design
will be useless if the material manufacturing process, construction process, utilization process, demolition
process, does not consider the concept of green as well.

Furthermore Mc Lennan (2004) stated that the application of green design in buildings and products need
to consider several elements, namely;
a. Understanding of climate and place
b. Load / energy reductions
c. The use of the free energy (renewable energy)
d. Effective use of technology

1
Architecture Department, Universitas Pembangunan Jaya, Bintaro - Tangerang, Indonesia, sahid@upj.ac.id
2
SAPPK, Department of Architecture, Building Technology Research Grou, titus@ar.itb.ac.id
3
SAPPK, Department of Architecture, Building Technology Research Grou, sugeng_triyadi@yahoo.com
 Sustainable Building

LIFE CYCLE
PROJECT
Kriteria
Sustainability DESIGN CONSTRUCTION OPERATION DEMOLITION

SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONAL
SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL
ENERGY
ENERGY:
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

FRIENDLY

GREEN BUILDING

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING
ECO
ENVIRONMENT: FRIENDLY

HUMAN : HUMAN
FRIENDLY

Figure 1. Sustainable dan Green Building scheme

In line with the statement of Mc Lennan, because green building (green building) offering high comfort,
healthy interior quality, energy efficiency and energy generation, awareness of the life cycle and the
economic considerations Bauer (2007) stated that the application of green building require some
considerations, namely:
a. Climate
b. Level of comfort and performance of buildings
c. Shape, orientation and building envelope
d. Protection of the sun, glare and noise
e. The use of daylight and natural ventilation
f. Material and finishing materials are environmentally friendly
g. Minimization of environmental impacts
h. Energy efficiency and energy generation
i. A healthy environment
j. Water efficiency and conservation

By considering the above discussion, the matters considered by the green building can be divided into two
parts, namely:
a. Consider energy efficiency and conservation (Energy Friendly)
Hegger (2008) every effort to have a room conditioned requires energy consumption. We could save
the energy by minimizing energy requirement and optimizing energy supply. The energy will be
needed to activate certain effort, such as: heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting. We need strategy to
use energy to fulfill the human comfort. Sarte (2010) states that energy utilization strategies for green
building include:
a. Reduce energy demand through design
b. Using energy efficiently
c. Selecting a source of sustainable energy
d. Reducing carbon emissions
 Added by Sarte (2010) that efforts to reduce the building's energy needs can be done by:
a. Development footprint analysis (site analysis)
b. Clearly defining the needs and project objectives
c. Match the available energy in the site
Because every site is unique, the architect’s task is to find and adopt the most suitable energy
applications. Integration of the building and site will produce a building with the following
characteristics:
a. In harmony with its environment.
b. Answering the demands of the environment
c. Delivering value, comfort and more inspiration for the residents

b. Minimizing negative impact on environment (Eco Friendly)

Abidin (2010) suggested several strategies to protect the environment, namely:
a. Building site selection and utilization
Selection of sites related to spatial planning, as well as utilization. Location used for production
(rice) for example, must be maintained in order to maintain the availability of food supplies.
Utilization can also be done by enlarging the portion for green areas or uptake, and build as needed
to avoid as little as possible ketidakterpakaian available space.
b. Selection of material
The use of the limited availability of material will need to consider the nature and impact on the
environment if the material is used. Difficult material found in nature is in place for restricted use.
And materials that are proven to bring harm to the residents it should not be used again.
c. Saving water use
The savings can be made by reducing the amount of water need as much as possible, and then can
reuse water that has been used for other purposes, as well as the process recycles waste water to be
reused. These savings can be done either during construction and during operation
d. Reduction of pollution (impact) on the environment
Maximum reduction of building polution and its impact on the environment can be done at
construction and utilization stages. Construction methods should be directed to minimize
environment destruction, reduce air pollution (dust, CO2), and noise pollution (noise during
construction). At operational stage, we should also reducing the amount of garbage or waste thet we
produced every day.

Agree with Abidin, Wonoraharjo (2012) stated that the criteria for the environment related to the three
aspects, namely:
a. The use of raw materials
Building materials that meet the requirements of environmentally friendly should be a renewable
material, can be returned to nature with ease and no side effects to the environment. Renewable
requirement means that the material is possible to be produced again. As for ease of return to
nature when the use of organic materials-cellulose. Side effects such as trapping of heat and also
the damage to the natural conditions on the process of exploitation should be minimized or
eliminated
b. Construction process
The construction process was short process compared with the manufacturing of raw materials and
operating the building, but in that brief moment the process using a lot of energy, building
materials, other natural resources and also the emission of pollutants with high intensity. For that
reason, it is necessary to control this process so that environmental conditions can still be
maintained.
 c. Operational Buildings
At this stages, there are two main strategies which are passive and active strategies. Both strategies
can be used simultaneously to fulfill the required environment quality

Green Building Strategy

To obtain the expected comfort, there are two strategy options, which are the strategy of passive and
active strategies.
Passive Strategy
Strategies to obtain optimal comfort as well as take advantage of the surrounding environment by
designing buildings so that the energy would be minimize and wiithout the use of electro-mechanical
system called a passive strategy. The strategy could be building orientation and building shape and
the selection of an appropriate building envelope material. Passive strategy requires a role of
architects to design buildings that are able to anticipate the conditions outside the building in order to
get comfortable environment for the user

For humid tropical areas like Indonesia, the strategy is to seek how the heating of buildings due to
solar radiation can be prevented, without sacrificing the needs of natural light. Sunlight consists of
light and heat will be utilized only the light component and dismissed the heat. Beside utilization of
sunlight, wind utilization in the form of building ventilation settings are also explored to obtain the
optimal thermal comfort.

The Low Energy Architecture Research Unit (LEARN) of London University in Metropolian
Comfortable Low Energy Architecture website states that the use of passive strategies through the
following basic strategies:
a. Understanding of climate and climate zones
b. Identification of the comfort zone
c. Identify the source of heat
d. Optimization of conditions mikroklimatik
e. Defining the characteristics required for the configuration of buildings and building envelope

Further stated that passive strategies can be used for building cooling by utilizing the natural
ventilation to take the heat out of the building (convective cooling) and out of the human body
(physiological cooling).

Sarte (2010) states that the use of passive strategy can improve the energy performance of buildings.
Passive strategy can be done through:
a. Building design and building orientation
b. Landscape planning to create the desired microclimate
c. Selection of an appropriate building envelope
d. Design natural ventilation
e. Selection of building materials
f. Use of low-emittance glass
g. Installation radiant barrier
h. Use a bright or reflective colour

According to Wonoraharjo (2012), passive strategies are used primarily to meet the demand for
thermal and visual environment and carried out by means of optimizing the design of the building
envelope. For the thermal environment, a passive strategy is done by heating avoidance and building
cooling. Efforts to avoid the heat carried by regulating building orientation, self shading, shadowing
by vegetation, as well as shadowing by buildings in the area with high building density. Another
possible way is to organize the material heat capacity, heat transmission, and the material surface
characteristics such as texture and color. While cooling the building done by the convective cooling
through the use of space vents, roof vents, wall vents etc.

In general it can be concluded that the passive design strategies include:

1. Site planning
a. Landscape elements
b. Landscape pattern
2. Building design
a. Building configuration
Building orientation
Building shape
b. Building components
Glass / wall
Sunshading

Since the passive strategy in a such way trying to optimize the environmental conditions so the
advantage is reducing energy required to conditioned the room and at the same time it means
reducing the carbon emissions. On the other hand due to origin of a passive strategy to utilize the
surrounding conditions surrounding the acquired buildings input will be varies. It affects the resulting
room comfort conditions are sometimes less than desired or otherwise excessive.

Active Strategy
Active strategy is the strategy of utilizing the conditioning room with electro-mechanical equipment
to obtain the required level of comfort. Almost all utility systems in building can use the active
strategy such as air conditioning systems, transportation systems, fire protection systems, plumbing
systems, audio systems, cleaning systems bangunan. Especially for thermal environment, according
to Wonoraharjo (2012), the active system is used for:
1. Artificial air circulation
2. Ventilator
3. Humidity regulator
4. Air cooler

On air conditioning systems, active strategy are used for the purpose of lighting, cooling or space
heating, and ventilation systems. On lighting systems, active systems are used to illuminate the room,
especially at night. In addition to illuminating the room, lighting is also used for aesthetic interest.
Selection of lighting type, position and duration of use are the key considerations for optimal
performance. On cooling or heating systems, active strategy are used to cool the room with cool air
and running it into the room with the desired temperature. For optimal performance required a
selective effort to choose the type of electro-mechanical equipment compared with building
characteristics and comfort requirement.

Since active strategy use a variety of electro-mechanical equipment for building conditioning system
so the defficiency is the large amount of energy required and also emissions. Large energy
consumption also means a greater financial expenditure. While the advantages of the use of active
strategy is the ease to obtain comfort conditions as expected. Ease of use is what makes the choice of
an active strategy to be attractive even though the cost is excessive.
Strategy Options
The existence of passive and active strategy in buildings used to fulfill comfort requirement.
Consideration to use passive and active strategy in green building related to energy efficiency (energy
friendly) and minimizing the impact on the environment (eco friendly). Alternative of using those two
strategy are:
a. Optimizing only Passive System
A building can be designed only with memepergunakan passive strategy only. Problems that appear is
limitations of passive strategy to fulfill comfort requirement, sometimes less and sometimes excessive.
A building that rely only to natural lighting will having a problem when the night comes. Likewise
thermal conditions, during the day, the temperature in the room could be not as hot outside the room
but still not comfortable enough to do the activities in it. Even if ventilation is used to flow the hot air
inside the room, the desired comfort conditions remain unachieved because the speed of the wind
sometimes too low. At that condition, human needs to justify himself with the actual conditions.

b. Optimizing only Active System

Conversely, we can also design a buildings that use fully active strategy. That building could cover the
entire outer surface with a solid wall and use artificial lighting to accomodate activities inside.
Similarly, with the natural ventilation, we could also replace them with artificial. Room temperature
can be controlled with air conditioning. The problem which arises is the amount of energy required and
the emissions resulting from all active strategy. What we have to do is selecting the right active
strategy in order to get a minimize energy consumption. Human role to reduce energy requirements can
be done by setting minimum standards of comfort.

c. Combining Passive and Active System

The option to combine active and passive systems is a logical choice. Both systems can work together
to realize the expected comfort conditions. The question that arises then is what the system is first
considered. Is a passive strategy is optimized before the active or otherwise applied active strategy first
and passive strategy followed.

Active first
Reliability of an active system for conditioning the building can not be denied. We could just
specify criteria for the comfort that we need and then the active strategy will soon make it happen.
Active strategy offers a wide choice of ways to realize comfort condition with electro-mechanical
equipment. If we place the active strategy first then the role of a passive strategy is only
complements the existence of an active and use to reduce energy consumption a little bit or just
using passive strategy for the sake of aesthetic or just to be seen as green building.

Passive first
If we choose to place passive strategy first before active strategy, then the role of passive strategy
is to optimize the surrounding environmental conditions for the benefit of indoor activities while
the role of active strategy is to improve indoor quality as it needed. Wonoraharjo (2012) mentions
the need for cooperation between passive and active strategies, which use or activate the active
strategy when the passive strategy is fully optimized.

We could design a building in a such way to maximize natural lighting and in certain places that
are less or not get the light can be covered with artificial lighting. Artificial lighting will also work
at night because of the absence of a light source outside the building. Likewise with natural
ventilation, we could maximize the passive strategy by utilizing the potential outdoor conditions
and improve the comfort quality by the active strategy.
 Ken Yeang (2005) mentions at least 5 'mode' in building operation to fulfill the comfort condition
which are: the passive mode, mixed mode, full mode, productive mode and composite mode. In
line with Wonoraharjo, Ken Yeang is also suggested to optimize the passive mode first before
activating the other modes.

Conclusion
Utilization of passive mode or passive strategy optimally before switching modes to another strategy is
the right choice in order to obtain optimal comfort without consuming energy excessively. This option
is appropriate to optimize the surrounding environmental conditions in order to fullfil comfort
requirements with efficient energy consumption. This combined strategy could be used in all climatic
condition, include humid tropical climates such as in Indonesia.

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