Architectural Science

(HVAC)

Lecture By: Miju G.

 Architectural Climatology
• Also known as Building climatology is a climate
respective architecture meaning designing with
climate.
• Why is it important in Architectural Design?
The comparison of climatic data and the requirements of thermal
comfort provides the basis for the selection of building form and
elements appropriate for the climate and creates necessary internal
comfort.

• How does buildings affect climate?

 Weather and Climate
• Climate is the general weather conditions over a
long period of time.
• Weather is the current atmospheric conditions at
a given place and time, including temperature,
rainfall.
Climate is determined by Natural (Atmosphere,
Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere) or
Anthropogenic (Land, Resources) features of the
earth.
 Climatic Elements
• Solar Radiation
• The temperature of the air (hot or cold, low or high temp.)
• The humidity of the air (amount of water vapor in the air)
• The type and amount of precipitation (is a moisture that
falls to the Earth's surface)
• Air/Atmospheric Pressure the weight of the air above the
earth. (For a given "base" pressure, the higher the air pressure,
the colder it is; the lower the air pressure, the warmer it is)
• Wind speed and direction (Trade winds, Prevailing/Regional
winds and Local winds)
• Latitude (distance from N or S pole)
• Elevation (distance from sea level)
• Landforms in the area (distinct forms in the ground, such as
mountains, hills, plains, and valleys--these can make local
winds and difference in the cliamte)
 Climatic Zone
Climatic Zones - is a subdivisions of climate condition on
earth.

Three major climatic zones:

• Tropical Zone - located between the tropic of Cancer

and tropic of Capricorn.
• Temperate Zone – located in tropical circle and polar
circle.
• Polar Zone - located from the polar circle to northern
hemisphere and southern hemisphere (north and south
pole).
Climate Zones
 SEASON
A season is a subdivision of the year, marked by
changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight.
Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth
around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative
to the plane of revolution.
In temperate and polar regions, the seasons are marked
by changes in the intensity of sunlight that reaches the
Earth's surface, variations of which may cause animals
to go into hibernation or to migrate, and plants to be
dormant.
EARTH’S ELLIPTICAL ORBIT AROUND THE SUN
 The Sun and Sun-path Diagram
• The climate of the earth is derived from the
energy input of the sun.
• Sun-path Diagram is a tool that helps to read
the movement of the sun throughout the day
and season.
The relative position of the sun is a major factor in the
heat gain of the buildings and in the performance of
solar energy system.
Detail Reading assignment and Presentational short notes
on The Sun energy, Sun shading and The sun-path
diagram.
Sun-path
Diagram
 SEASONS IN DIFFERENT ZONES

• Tropical Zone (dry, wet and mild seasons)

• Temperate Zone (winter, spring, summer and fall/autumn
seasons)
• Polar Zone (summer and winter season)

• Winter - the cold season between autumn and spring in

northern latitudes.
• Spring – the transition period between winter and summer.
• Summer - the hotter half of the year; a period of hot, usually
sunny weather.
• Fall/Autumn – the transition period between summer and
winter.
 BIO-CLIMATIC COMFORT
Refers to the state where human have a comfortable,
acceptable and allowable level of environment that
is suitable to human activity.
Bio-climatic Architecture is a way of designing buildings
based on the local climate, with the aim of ensuring thermal
comfort using environmental resources.
Comfort zone a person operates in a neutral anxiety
condition. Comfort involves the control of Temperature,
Humidity, Air motion and Radiant resources interacting
with the occupants.
 THERMAL COMFORT
Thermal Comfort - is the condition of mind that expresses
satisfaction with the thermal environment and is assessed by
subjective evaluation (ASHRAE Standard 55).
Factors Affecting Thermal Comfort
*Environmental Influences
- Dry Bulb (Air Temperature)
- Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT)
- Relative Humidity (RH)
- Air Speed (velocity)

*Physiological Influences
- Metabolic Rate
- Clothing Insulation
 METABOLIC RATE AT DIFFERENT TYPICAL
ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY Metabolic Rate in MET Units

• Resting 0.7 to 1.2
• Walking – 2 to 4 mph 2.0 to 3.8
• Miscellaneous Occupations
- Bakery, Lab. Work 1.4 to 2.0
- Carpentry Machine 1.8 to 2.2
- Sawing by hand 4.0 to 4.8
- Planning by hand 5.6 to 6.4
- Garage Work 2.2 to 3.0
- Light Machine Work 2.0 to 2.4
- Heavy Machine Work 1.6
- Car Driving 1.5
- Heavy Vehicle 3.2
• Domestic Work
- Cooking 1.6 to 2.0
- Washing and Ironing by hand 2.0 to 3.6
• Office Work 1.1 to 1.4
• Leisure Activities
- Calisthenics Exercises 3.0 to 4.0
- Tennis 3.6 to 4.6
- Basketball 5.0 to 7.6
- Golf 1.4 to 2.6
- Running 9.5
In order to achieve a thermal comfort in a building:
• Human thermal Balance
• Thermal behavior of Building
• Building Fabric elements – The combination of both

A thermally comfortable area has a

▪ Temperature between 20 – 30 degree Celsius
▪ Relative humidity of 30% - 65%
▪ Air movement of 0.1 m/s – 1 m/s
Reference:
▪ Introduction to ARCHITECTURAL SCIENCE the basis of
sustainable design (Steven V. Szokolay)
▪ Building in the Tropics (George Lippsmeier)
▪ Man Climate and Architecture (Givoni)